All These Lives
by people-alwayz-leave
Summary: Somehow He just knew... The aliases got to her. When they were more familiar to you than your "real" self was, there was something about that that didn't add up to either of them. Falling in love wasn't in the cards for her. Sarkney and another pairing
1. These Aliases

**A/N: THIS IS MY FIRST SARKNEY, AND I'M KIND OF EXCITED ABOUT IT : ) SO HERE GOES, R&R AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK**

Her red dress was cut too short and too low, leaving only a few things to the imagination of anyone in the overpriced club. The matching wig made her impossible to miss, as if anyone could overlook her to begin with, which he assumed was impossible. It was supposed to be a simple op. In and out. And then he spotted her, and everything changed- again. Like it did every time he was near her. He tried to refocus on the mission to no avail. He needs to be near her. He glanced at her again, oozing confidence he somehow knew she didn't feel in that dress. She sent out a message, _look but don't touch _with a certain power that only she could posses and pull off femininly. But he knew there were few things that were feminine about her. And he also knew she hated these Aliases.

She pulled out the gun, readying herself for the least favorite part of her job. _This is for the best. He's the bad guy. Not me._ It was her silent mantra. The one she repeated to herself like a sinners prayer right before she went in for the kill. Maybe that scared her worse than the actual killing. _Is there any kind of redemption for people like me?_ She jerked the chair around, trying to refocus on the mission, finding that her mark had already been disposed of for her. She was momentarilly relieved, then instantly her guard went back up. Only seconds too late.

Someone cleared their throat from behind her and the hairs on her neck stood on end. "Losing your edge Sydney?" She cringed at the sound of his voice, whirling around to face him. She couldn't hold back the words as they came tumbling out of her mouth. "It's Agent Bristow." She mentally slapped herself for giving him the upper hand and not coming up with a better retort. Maybe she was losing her edge, or maybe it was just the smell of his cologne filling the room. _Curve, _she thought to herself as she placed the fragrence. Her favorite. As if sensing her thoughts he smirked while he let out a chuckle. "Well _Agent Bristow_," he began, over stressing the name she had insisted many times he use while addressing her. "you still have that fire." She couldn't help but roll her eyes at him as the fire of her agitation flamed within her. _He's infuriatingly impossible._

By the time she refocused her gaze on him, he was invading her personal bubble, almost knocking the air out of her. She wanted him to move, but she also wanted what she came for. She knew he had the artifact, although she didn't know what it was that she had come to retrieve, she was sure that he had it. _And was probably informed about what it was before I even knew that there was an op._ "Give it to me Sark." His perfectly shaped eyebrow rose and his baby blue eyes darkened with something she'd rather not name. It was his breathy reply that drove her nearly insane. "As you wish..." Before she could comprehend it, his mouth was heatedly claiming hers, tasting and memorizing every inch of her lips, both of them knowing they may never be like this again.

He slammed her violently into the wall behind them, making her gasp allowing him access to her mouth. Her smell was intoxicating, her taste addicting. He had her arms pinned to her sides, letting her know who was in charge so that she couldn't refuse him- not this time. Unwillingly, she pushed her hips into his, feeling his need for her increasing. He pulled back, allowing his mouth to meld to the soft flesh of her neck, knowing it would leave a mark for sure. Something about knowing that it was _him_ who was marking her, when she looked in the mirror to do her make-up in the morning it would be _him_ she thought about, and the fact that she was, at the moment, a more than willing participant made his need for her increase. It was no longer a simple want as it had been, now it was a need for her.

He let his hands drift down to her hips, and she knew for sure there would be a bruise where his ever attentive hands were sweeping over her flesh. He released her arms to pull her closer to him, making her grind into him again, this time willingly, causing him to moan out her name. _Nothing like Vaughn. He's always so gentle... Maybe I needed Sark all along... And the way he says my name... _This thought was enough to sober her from the high that she was on and he was shoved away. Her eyes were aprehensive and guarded as usual but they held their fair share of confusion and want. _Want for him, and him alone. Even if it was only in this moment, it was only him._

She was breathing heavily now, out of breath, turned on, pissed off, and positive he was in the same condition as she was. He stood there for a long while, just looking at her, watching her like he had done countless times. Like he was searching for something. Finally he moved to the side, no longer blocking her exit. She began to walk out when his voice stopped her. "Aren't you forgetting something Miss Bristow?" She turned slowly and cautiosly towards him and accepted the bag that he handed to her, allowing his fingers to brsh over her knuckles one last time before she was gone.

**HITTING THE LITTLE PURPLE BUTTON AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDOW WOULD MAKE ME **_**EXCEEDINGLY**_** HAPPY... TRY IT AND SEE : )**

**P.**


	2. From Dark to Light and Day to Night

**A/N: I DON'T OWN ALIAS, AND SO FAR THERE AREN'T ANY OC'S SO... I BASICALLY DON'T OWN ANYTHING BUT MY WILD IMAGINATION AND A CRICK IN MY NECK : D HOPE Y'ALL LIKE IT**

Once the original shock wore off on her way back to meet her team, she realized that she would have to tell them that the mission had failed. She remembered the red clutch she was carrying that he had handed to her before her dwift departure and dug through it quickly, hoping he might have... She grinned widely. There was a disk there, waiting for her. Attached was a note. _Simply complex, just like him._ There were seven digits, followed by J. _Like it could be from anyone else._ She slid into the van, reporting success and handing over the disk, recieving a well done from the other team members while removing her com device.

It had been almost two weeks. Thirteen days. Two whole weeks. And almost two whole week ends. He sighed, wondering when he became the blubbering fool who waited by the phone for anyone to call. But she wasn't just anyone. She was Sydney Anne Bristow. He groaned, he didn't need to remind himself. He knew almost everything about her, including her dangerous curves, her taste and smell... He needed to quit while he was ahead. He'd almost given up hope when the small phone attached to his hip vibrated. His heart jumpped into his throat as he opened the phone. "Sark." He kept his tone clipped, you could never be too sure. The voice was unidentifiable, disgusied no doubt. "We have your precious Sydney. You have one hour to recover the chip you stole from us. Or she dies." The phone was disconnected and Sark's anger bubbled over.

The darkness surrounded her, seeped into her pores and made her ache. Ache for light. Ache for freedom. Ache for him. She had heard the man's ridiculous claim that she meant something to Sark. They were using her as leverage to get the chip back. She didn't even know who _they _were. The CIA wouldn't notice her missing for days possibly. _You're my only hope._ That was a scarry thought. Yes, he had passion for her. But passion and valued information... She shuddered, knowing full well that he didn't handle authority well... Okay, so he didn't handle authority at all. He was his own authority. And she was beginning to wonder weather or not she was somewhere in his priority right now. _Please Sark._ And then the lights came on. And the fear began to take hold.

"No! That will take too long!" He took a deep breath, trying to keep his composure. "You bumbling oaf of an idiot!" He growled at the man that dared to tell him it would take more than an hour to locate her. Or the chip. "I don't care how. I don't care how much blood..." He paused, trying to regain control. "Whatever it takes." And with that he hung up the phone. He opened his laptop and began typing furiously, calling people like a drunken fool going through his phone book, squeezing each one of his contacts, knowing time was running short. He yelled out into the empty room and threw his laptop. How long had it been since he'd lost his composure this way? He tried not to think of the implications that analyzing that would bring, so he returned his focus to finding her. His phone rang and his snarky voice answered the phone, irritated that someone might not have good news on the other end. He heard a woman screaming in pain and then the distorted voice. "Quit calling them and find it. Or do you want this to continue? Everyone has a breaking point." Again the phone line disconnected and Sark felt helpless and then he felt the rage.

She was beginning to prefer the dark, even after only a few hours. She had given up hope that he would come for her. She tried not to give them the satisfaction of making her scream in pain, but she could only take so much. They were using every form of torture, including knowing that she was alone. He wasn't coming for her. Her last hope... Was gone. And then, the lights came on again. She allowed a whimper of protest to escape her lips as she tried to shield her eyes and turn her head away, as if she could ignore it like some sort of sick dream. And then she heard his soft reassuring whispers. "Shhh... Love, I've got you now. It's alright. Shh..." She collapsed into his arms, allowing the tears to come. And the hope spread throughout her sore and exhausted body.

She woke up in a soft bed, covered in silk. She sat up and tried to remember how she'd gotten here. For the life of her, she couldn't remember a team being with him. _Had he come alone?_ There was a light knock on the door, followed by him sticking his head in. "I hoped you would wake soon. Would you care to join me for breakfast?" He talked like she was a normal house guest. Like he hadn't had to rescue her from torture and imminent death. Like he wasn't on the America's Most Wanted Top Ten list and she wasn't a CIA operative. Like she was just Sydney and he was just Sark.

He waited for her in the hall, silently urging her to hurry so he could make sure-again- that she was alright. He had worried all night, not sleeping a wink, checking on her every five minutes. He'd given her a sedative to help her sleep, and she had just looked so peaceful. But he knew it woudln't last forever. When she appeared before him his eyes raked over her, checking her for physical wounds and then offered her his hands checking for any mental breaks. She glanced at it and cautiously took it, letting him lead the way. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

The dining room was large, however not ornate as she had expected. He pulled the chair out for her, allowing her to sit and a maid brought out breakfast. "Well, out with it." There had been silence for much too long, and he knew all too well that something was on her mind. "There wasn't a team was there?" Confusion clouded his eyes momentarilly. "I beg your pardon." She looked up at him with wide eyes. He was acting as if it were no big deal. "You resuced me." To this he nodded. "Alone." His head went to one side. "Did you even have a plan?" She was getting angry now. Angry at him for being careless. Angry at herself for showing concern. "Always." Was his only response.


	3. Crystal Eyes

**A/N: SO I (STILL) DON'T OWN ALIAS, BUT THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO **Rach2503

**SO HERE IT IS : ) HOPE YOU ENJOY IT**

He kept his mask in place, knowing it was the only thing that could protect him from her wrath. He couldn't believe how ungrateful she was being! _I risked __everything__ to save her, and this is the thanks I get._ He held in a sigh, knowing that would only fuel her anger which was currently directed at him. "Did you even have a plan?!" Her voice rose and a lesser man would have flinched away. "Always." Was the only response that he supplied her with. "You could have been killed!" This time he did allow himself to sigh. "As could you. However, I took the chance. And here we are. A bit ungrateful, but here we are." He looked away from her, no longer being able to hold under the weight of her crystal eyes and the Stoney LaRue song popped into his head. Lord, this woman was beginning to get to him.

_Did he just call me ungratful? _ "Excuse me?" Now the anger that was directed at herself was directed only at the snarky Englishman before her. He looked back up, allowing his eyes to meet hers once again. "I took a chance. You could very well have been dead when I got there, however I still rushed to your aid." Something inside her screamed at her to stop, but her pride wouldn't let her. "No one asked you to do that! No one asked you to give me the disk! No one asked you to save me! No one asked you to kiss me!" The last part make him laugh. A real laugh out of Sark. She let out an aggrevated huff and stood up. "I'm not hungry anymore." And stomped off as if Sark had just told her she couldn't eat her desert before their meal.

He watched her bemusedly as she stomped away, almost tempted to stop her, but he had enough brusies. _Which reminds me._ He left the way she had, headed for the bathroom that he used to clean his wounds. He took a deep breath as he slid off his shirt and surveyed the damage. Bruises covered his upper torso and arms, he was sure that his legs didn't look as bad but were also bruised. There was a bullet wound and a few knife wounds. Nothing he couldn't handle. _I've had worse. You'd think if they had the brains to track my movements they would have known I was coming. Or upped the security. Or something. _He heard a small gasp from behind him and turned to reprimand the... "Sydeny." He cleared his throat. "Agent Bristow. You startled me." He looked at her curiously. "I was just looking... for the bathroom." He smirked at her. "And it looks as if you've found it." He bagan looking for what he needed to bandage himself with and some cream to help hide the brusies.

He shot up as if he'd just remembered something. "Are you quite alright?" For a moment, she thought he was asking because she was still just standing there, looking at him. "Huh?" He began to rake his eyes over her quickly, making her self concious under his piercing gaze. "Did they hurt you?" Realization played across my face and I lowered my head. He stepped closer to her, invading her personal space again and moving back an errant strand of hair from her face. "Did they hurt you?" His voice was softer this time and she looked up to meet his gaze. "It's nothing I can't handle." His eyes hardened and became a shade darker. "Let me see." His voice came out low and even, which was more intimidating than if he had yelled and screamed. "As you wish..." She whispered and then she kissed him, thoroughly. She didn't want him to see the wounds that she knew would probably never heal from what they had done to her. The scars that would mar her pale skin. She didn't want him to know the pain they had put her through.

_She had just used my own line against me. My own line and my move to dodge what may or may not happen. Sydney Bristow is one hell of a woman._ Those were the last coherent thoughts before he heard her desperate plea. "Please, Sark, take me..." He felt himself harden more than he imagined possible and pushed her violently against the wall again making her gasp on the impact. He claimed her there on the cold bathroom sink, marking her again, making her his. She collapsed into his arms, leaning on him, and he wasn't complaining. She looked up at him with an afterglow that made her look like an angel. "We're going to have to do something about that dirty mouth of yours, Miss Bristow." He smirked at her and she raised an eyebrow in response. He picked her up, kissing her again and walked with her attached to him into the closest bedroom. His bedroom. He claimed her agian there on the satin sheets, making her scream in pleasure as no other man ever had, coming with only one name on her lips. His.

They stayed like that for two weeks. Wrapped up in each other, giving each other exactly what the other needed. But the both knew it would have to end eventually. The CIA would come looking. And they would find her eventually. No matter how well they hid. She laid there, running her slender fingers through his messy hair and smiled. She slid from the bed as she had many times, not bothering to cover up her nakedness and dressed quickly. It was time. She stole one last long glance at him and slipped out silently.

He lay there, didn't make a move to stop her. It had been two weeks. Every day he was so thankful that he had dodged the bullet another day and she was still with him. And now it wasn't just Sydney and just Sark anymore. It was back to Agent Bristow and Mr. Sark, enemies at war. A war that neither one of them believed in. A war that wasn't theirs to begin with. He heard the soft _click_ of the door as she left him and he felt an unbelievable gap of emptiness. Her scent still lingered, her spot was still warm where she had laid next to him. But those were the only signs that she had ever been here. And like her, they would soon be gone.


	4. Missing You

**A/N: THIS IS MY SECOND UPDATE TODAY, BUT OH WELL : ) HERE GOES**

It had been months. He hadn't tried to contact me. Not once. Every time the phone rang, I hoped. Every time they sent me on an op, I hoped. But he was nowhere to be found. He had fallen off of the radar. _Or maybe it's just my radar he's fallen off of._ It was true, I was the one who left him as he lay sleeping. The tears brimmed and for a minute, I thought I might actually cry. It's not like we had some kind of great love. No, that just wouldn't do. Not for us. There was a knock on my door and I moved slowly to answer it, not in any hurry to see who was on the other side. I opened the door as slowly as I had moved to get to it and looked lazily at the person who dared invade on my self-pity party. There, on the other side, stood Vaughn. I held back a sigh. _Why am I still with him?_ I couldn't help but wonder every time he looked at me. He didn't look at me like... I shook my head, trying not to let my mind delve into the differences between the two men. Becuase there was only one I really wanted.

I moved to let Vaughn in and he looked on in concern. "How was the trip?" I shrugged. _He wasn't there, so why did it matter. _"Another succesful mission." He didn't turn to look at me or make any move to meet my eyes. "That's not what I asked you, Syd." For some reason him calling me Syd seemed foreign to me. And then I had a flashback...

_He was smiling at me for some reason. That couldn't be good. I had been there a week an I felt as happy and carefree as I ever had. I was relaxed here and he knew it. Maybe that was the point. For me to be relaxed. Something sparkled in his eyes, making him look younger. And for a moment, I let myself get lost in it. His grin widened as he told me to cover my eyes and turn around. I shot him a look, but turned and did as he asked. He was excited about something. And he looked so happy. There was something that was placed in my hand. I automatically recognized it as a gun and I tensed. "Relax, Syd." Came his soft reassuring voice. And to my suprise, I did. He chuckled and I heard him retreating. I looked quickly at the weapon in my hands and laughed heartily. We were playing Paintball. _

It was funny that I hadn't once thought about the life that I had left behind. Not my dad, not Vaughn. Not the CIA. Nothing but him.

Another month had passed with no word. I heaved a world-weary sigh and poured myself a glass of water. I felt the pills heavy on my tongue as they started to disolve before I could swallow them down fully. I laid back on the couch, lost in something that was akin to slef-pity. The phone rang, but I made no move to answer it. It didn't matter anymore. It wasn't going to be him. It was never him. If it was Vaughn, or the CIA, they could all just bite me. My mind drifted to a million possibilities that he hadn't called. What if he had found another lover? He wasn't committed to me in any way so he had every right to do so. What if he was afraid she didn't care? He couldn't think that after their time together. Could he? What if he was waiting for her to make the first move? She sighed. What if he was dead? That's the one that scared her the most. It was uncharacteristic of him to dissapear this long off of the radar. Again, the phone rang. This time I answered it.

"Bristow." My tone was clipped, making whoever it was sure that I did _not_ want to talk. "Sydeny." He sounded hagard as I felt. "Dad? What's wrong?" Instantly I could feel the shift of his mood. "We found him. We need you to come in to the office." I nodded despite him not being able to see me. "Alright." With that, I hung up. I didn't need to ask who the him was. I already knew. We had located Sark.

I hadn't expected him to fly to L.A. and land on my doorstep, begging me to come back to him. I knew better. But I had expected... something. I sighed again, getting out of my car. The car he bought me.

_"It's just not suitable for you to have to walk around." He had told me one night. "Here." He had tossed a set of keys my way and returned to his laptop. He was typing furiously. "When did you get a new one?" He looked up as my words registered and offered me a small smile. "Came with the car." I had chuckled, walked over and kissed him as my thanks. "Go on." He motioned for the door. "I know you wan to, go ahead. Like anything you could do anymore would offend me ater living with you." I had laughed then and walked out to the sleek car, smiling to myself at his taste. I looked up to the window of the room where he was and saw him standing there, beaming down at me. He motioned for me to get in and go, which I did. I drove around for an hour with no cares before I went home. Funny how I was thinking of it as my home now too. I had gone in and found him. We made love in the kitchen that night, burning dinner neither of us caring. _

I clicked the lock button and continued walking. I hadn't been able to bring myself to get rid of it or get a new one. I was walking into the office when Vaughn caught up with me and smiled, slipping an arm around me. I tensed, not sure if he could feel it or not and stayed a step ahead of him so that he couldn't grip me. That wasn't his place anymore. I sighed then, making Vaughn look at me concerned. I didn't answer him, simply kept walking. There was only one man I wanted to look at me that way. And Vaughn was not that man.


	5. My name is Julian Sark

**A/N: THIRD UPDATE IN ONE DAY, I MUST REALLY LIKE YOU GUYS : D THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO FeralElektra and Rach2503 and Sark's Girl.**

**HERE'S YOUR RESCUE SCENE : )**

It had been months. There had been so many times I had attempted to pick up the phone, just to hear the sound of her voice. She was the one who left me. _You didn't try to stop her though did you?_ Sometimes I hated that inner voice. Because now, the voice inside my head belonged to the one person whom I couldn't hear. I couldn't touch. I couldn't see. But I could sure as hell love.

My contacts kept me informed. She went on missions like she always had, carrying on. Apparently her a wrinkle head were back together. _Great, now you've resorted to five year old name calling. And it wasn't even an inventive name. Perfect._ I collapsed into the plush chair in my study. I tried not to think about the love that we had made. Not only in my study, in this very chair. At least she kept the car. She wasn't so vain to keep it for anything other than sentimental reasons. I hoped.

After two months without her, her scent long since faded, I boarded my private jet and prepared to fly to L.A. when I got a phone call. "Sark." My tone let whoever it was know that their news was not welcome. "Julian." That voice. It made me cringe and want to write on the floor in pain. It was like to Sydeny's but not enough to convince myself. "Irina." The name was spat out like something dirty in my mouth. "We need to talk." If I thought her voice was making me sick, that one phrase was enough to make me want to shoot myself. "Do we now?" I was trying to play coy and failing miserably. "Yes, Julian. We do." There was a brief pause, but I knew better than to interupt her. "Tell me about the unauthorized solo mission you went on." I wanted to laugh. "I'm sorry, I'm not recalling anything of the sort." Telling her would mean sharing a part of me- a part of Sydney- with this woman. And that wasn't acceptable. Not for anyone involved.

"Julian." Her tone held all the warning I needed. "They had your daughter." The silence on the other end was deafening. "And?" She promted me mercilessly. "They're all dead." My voice was calm and even, but inside my heart ached. I had lost her anyway. "I'll need..." I was irritated, no beyond irritated now. "What Irina?" My cool demeanor snapped and I took a deep breath. I needed to get back in control. "Details. At a later date." The way she said it almost made it sound like a question instead of a statement which almost suprised me. "I don't know who they were. I don't know who was behind it. They wanted a disk that Sydney recovered for the CIA in return for her life. I didn't want to play that game. I located them. I killed them. I returned your daughter to L.A. where she presumably is now. Those are all the details that I have." Another pause. "Thank you Julian. I'll be there within the hour." I wasn't sure why Irinia was planning on invading in my space, or why she felt the need to come into our home... I stopped there. It was no longer our's. It was simply mine.

I took my time going home, knowing she would be waiting. Irina despised waiting for anyone. I walked in, twenty-two minutes late and draped my jacket over the table in the hall. How many times do I have to come home to this empty house and wish for her before she comes back? I shook my head, attempting to clear it to asses the situation. There was Irina, lounging in a chair in the sitting room. Sydney hated this room, said it was too informal. So the door was kept closed, and I told her that I would have decorator there within the week to fix it to her liking. She had laughed. I loved it when she really laughed. Her head fell back, her shoulders shook, and her eyes lit up. That was only days before she left. Needless to say the decorator had been sent back home.

I walked in calmly, ringing for the maid. When she appeared I ordered some tea to be made and brought in to us. Irina and I simply sat in silence for a mini enternity, waiting on the maid to leave us once again. Once she was gone, Irina wasted no time in getting down to business. "Details, Sark. I want details. Now." I looked her straight in the eye and smiled a humorless, ruthless smile. This wasn't something I was keen on reliving. I sat down my tea cup and rang again for the maid. She promptly took the tea away and I looked at Irina again, trying to ready myself. "I had an hour. One hour to find her or the chip and get it to them." I shrugged, leaving out the parts where I almost killed several loyal workers and contacts in the process. "I located them on the outskirts of New York in an abandoned wearhouse. There weren't many of them." The memories took over as I continued the story.

There were ten guards that I could see five of them were down before they knew I was there. The next three also went down relatively easy. One escaped to alert his superiors no doubt and the other stayed, engaging me in hand to hand combat. I smirked as he lay dying before me. My rage had taken over. I tried not to imagine what Sydney would think if she saw me. _Irina would be proud._ I thought to myself. Indeed, she would. I followed the last of the ten and he led me straight to his superiors. I killed them without a second thought. There were no questions, not even stopping to ask where she was. I would find her soon enough. The leader though, his death was drug out a little longer, making him suffer as he had made her. Through clenched teeth, I tried to remain clam. "My name is Julian Sark. And I hope you burn in hell." With that, I pulled the trigger. I ran to her, down numberless corridors that all looked the same. I heard her whimper from pain and busted into the room, doubting she could hear me. She turned her face away, as if that could help save her from some of the punishment she no doubt knew was coming. All he could do was whisper to her, trying to reassure her as he released her binds. "Shhh... Love, I've got you now. It's alright. Shh..." She collapsed into his arms, allowing the tears to come. Her body relaxed as he let his hands slide down it, checking her for wounds. She was in no condition to walk, so he picked her up and carried her out to his waiting car.

"It never occured to you that it may have been too simple?" She asked when I was finished. I regarded her calmly and smirked. Inside I was screaming. _I was much too worried about saving Sydney to care how they died. I just wanted them to pay. And pay they did._ "I suppose not. Where were you headed?" He raised an eyebrow in response. "Earlier. You were at the airfield." He nodded, accepting the fact that she knew, but not giving her anything else. "Alright." She stood to leave, but then stopped. "I like this room. It's good for business meetings." Sark made a mental note to call the decorator back immediately.

More time passed and he had given up hope on contacting her. He declined missions from Irina. He didn't want to be put in that situation. You know, the one where he would have to injure Sydney in any way. _The way she injured you?_ The question was reverbrating through his mind and he sighed. He had stayed in this place too long. He needed to go. But he couldn't leave here. Because leaving here would be like leaving her.


	6. Feels Like Home To Me

**A/N: SO THIS IS WHAT, LIKE THE FIFTH OR SIXTH UPDATE TODAY ISN'T IT? BUT I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS STORY AND I LOVE WHERE THIS STORY IS GOIN' SO FAR : ) **

I walked in to the office, immediately I was flanked by several other agents, all speaking excitedly. I tried to listen to them all and keep what they were saying in focus. I was led into the confrence room, only two of the five agents branching off to go back to their respective desks. My heart was fluttering and the butterflies in my stomach were having a fit. We found him.

Kendall's voice droned on and on and on and I was wonering if the meeting if this meeting was ever going to end. "Right Sydney?" My eyes snap up and my mind snapped to attention. I give a curt nod, Vaughn moves to save me. "Who is it that's going to accompany Syd to Sark in New York again?" The only thing I was thankful for that he'd done in four months. "No one. We want Sydney to go in alone. Sark obviously trusts her enough to let her anywhere near him and into his private residence. We're going to play on that trust." Something in me screamed in protest and suddnely I felt sick. _No. No, I'm not going to do it. I won't betray him._ I took a dep breath and nodded. "When do I leave?" I put myr SD-6 mask into place, the one I used with Sloane as Kendall finished the debriefing. "Wheels up in half an hour." Again, I nod.

An hour later I was on a plane to New York, about ready to land. My stomach was all tied up in nots, my palms sweaty. What did they expect me to do? Waltz in and say "hey how are ya? why don't you come with me to the CIA headquarters so they can torture you?" I don't think so. It wasn't going to happen. I can't do that to him. Not after what he did for me. I shake my head as the woman tells us to buckle our seat belts for landing. I buckled and tried to breathe. I was about to see Sark again for the first tme in four months. And I couldn't help but think he wasn't going to be happy.

I took a taxi within a block of his house. I wondered what a man like him was still doing in one place. Could it be that he was waiting for me? I tried to rid that thought out of my head. I paid the cabbie and I turned off my com unit, left it in the backseat, got out and started walking. Ringing the doorbell was too cliche so I picked the lock on the upstairs bedroom. That was much more our style. He really needed to get these lock changed, especially now. I got in and paused in the bedroom. There were simply too many memories here so I pressed on. I got to the study when he finally noticed me. "Sydney!" His voice was happy and filled with hope as he stood so quickly that the chair behind him toppled over. He rushed to me and wrapped his arms around me, showering me with kisses. Tears welled in my eyes from the happiness, making him stop and pull back. "Sydney?" I shook my head. "I'm supposed to bring you back." He pulled away and instantly my boady groaned at the loss of contact. "You've been made here Julian. Please." I was begging, we both knew it.

He nodded and walked silently into his room, leaving me two choices. Leave or follow. I chose the latter. "Julian." I kept my voice soft, so as not to startle him. Without looking up or stopping his packing he responded. "It's Mr. Sark." If I thought four months without him hurt, that cut me to the bone. "Julian." The desperation in my voice made him pause. I walked over to the closet and started removing clothes, folding them, and walked them over next to him. "Don't." I looked over at him, knowing my eyes showed all the pain he was causing them, but he wouldn't meet my eyes. "Sarke, let me help you." Again he paused, my voice coming out harsher than I had intended for it to. "Please." He didn't make any move to even acknowledge my presence or my words for that matter. I grabbed his hand and pulled it up to cover my heart. That got his attention. He met my eyes then and I tried to pour everything I was feeling into that one look. When that didn't work, I was forced to show him another way. I rained kisses over his face and neck, trying not to let my tears leak into those kisses. But somehow I knew that it would.

He pulled me close to him for a moment and returned my fevor. And then he forcefully pushed me away. "Damnit Sydney! You can't just..." Whatever he was about to say was lost in my kiss. "Please Julian. Let me help you." He nodded and allowed me to help him pack his things to leave. "I didn't want to." His breathing became heavy. "But it's not like you tried to come find me or contact me." His whole body whirled to face me. "Now is hardly the time. We can do this later." I nodded and our pace increased, both of us pouring our hurt and anger into packing. With a longing look and a lasting kiss he left me alone in this house.

I made contact ten minutes later that Sark was not in the area. He was no where to be found. Kendall was indigninet and slammed the phone telling her simply to rush my return home. And I couldn't help but think, maybe I was home.

I got to L.A. without mishap and went straight to my apartment. I found Sark waiting in my bedroom. I grinned like a mad man and fused our bodies together, finally fiding what I had been looking for the past four months. Right there in his arms, I was home.

He pushed me back onto the bed, covering my whole body with himself, whispering words of affection and how much he had missed me. And then there was a loud banging on my door. I groaned as his head collapsed into the crook of my neck. He rolled off of me and looked at me. "I won't wait long, love. I've waited entirely too long as it it." I smiled, just happy he was with me again. I stood up huridley and rushed to the door. I jerked it open, dying to get back to him. Jack pushed his way past me and moved into the living room. "Tell me about your missing two weeks. Those men didn't have you for two weeks. They had you for a matter of hours." Suprise didn't even show in my face. "And?" Not giving him answers wasn't going to get rid of him any faster. "You let him go." It was a statement, not a question. "This isn't some good cop, bad cop missed the mark becuase they did something nice for me movie Sydney. This is the real world."

I heaved a heavy sigh. "You were with him." Again, a statement. "I was recovering from wounds that were too deep to heal." His eyes snapped to mine, concern evident. "I'm fully recovered now. He took excellent care of me. He was the perfect gentleman." Jack nodded, seemingly accepting this answer. "Is that all?" He looked almost shocked at my wanting him gone so quickly. "I'm tired." He nodded and turned to leave. "Sydney?" I looked expectantly at his back and waited for him to continue. "Don't tell anyone. It's too dangerous. I know you hate the lies. But him being here now could have you killed." I kept my head held high as he left. And then the tears came. Sark came to me, pulled me close and carried me to my room, me clinging to him the whole way. "It's alright love. I've got you now." He held me close to him and held me, stroking my hair. That night, I slept fully and deeply. Adoring the feel of his body wrapped around mine.

It was so wrong, it had to be right.


	7. Russia's Waiting

**A/N: I STILL DON'T OWN ALIAS... ALTHOUGH I'D LIKE TO :P THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO **huddyluvr **FOR AN AWESOME REVIEW! YOU MADE MY DAY THIS CHAPTER IS JACK'S POV.**

I was worried about this mission Kendall had sent Sydney on. So I called the one person who could tell me what was going on. "Is it secure?" I almost laughed. "Isnt' it always?" _Alright Jack, now isn't the time to be coy. _"Yes, Irina it's secure. I need to know about the two weeks that Sydney wsa missing." There was a lapse in conversation. Irina rarely dissapointed. She knew something, indeed. "Alright Jack. But it's going to cost you." This did make me chuckle. Everything that involved Irina cost me. "What's that?" When she spoke next, her voice was playful. "A night alone. Just me and you. And I get to be in charge this time." I smiled widely. "Yes dear." She laughed then, making my cold heart warm up. Just as I was about to tell her something else, Marshall burst through my office door. Instantly the smile was gone. "Sydney's made contact." I nodded. "They sent her?" I didn't say anything. "Ah. The incompitences of the CIA still abound I see. She won't aprehend him. She'll set him free. The same thing that he would do for her." And with that, the line went dead. I replaced the phone on the cradle and walked into Kendall's office just in time for him to slam the phone down.

I went to Sydney's appartment first. There were some things I needed to hear from her. But I knew that she had gotten a double dose of stubborness. _Maybe she really loves him._ I tried to push that thought out of my head. _No, Sydney's smarter than that._ I knocked on the door, a little too hard I suppose, when she opened the door she was slightly out of breath and flushed, but grinning. I couldn't remember when I'd seen her so happy. And that's when it hit me. He was here somewhere. I pushed my way past her and moved into the living room, not leaving any kind of room for debate. "Tell me about your missing two weeks. Those men didn't have you for the whole time. They had you for a matter of hours." Suprise didn't even register on her face. "And?" I cocked an eyebrow and regarded her carefully. "You let him go." It was a statement, not a question. "This isn't some good cop, bad cop missed the mark becuase they did something nice for me movie Sydney. This is the real world."

She heaved a heavy sigh, like maybe she was rethinking the whole thing. "You were with him." Again, a statement. "I was recovering from wounds that were too deep to heal." My eyes snapped up to her's, trying to tell if she meant physical wounds. "I'm fully recovered now. He took excellent care of me. He was the perfect gentleman." I nodded, trying to accept her answer, but not even coming close. "Is that all?" She wanted rid of me, that much was obvious. "I'm tired" was her only response. I nodded and turned to go. "Sydney?" I could feel her eyes on me, but I didn't turn. "Don't tell anyone. It's too dangerous. I know you hate the lies. But him being here now could have you killed." I needed a drink. And I needed to get to Irina.

Turns out the bar was closest, so I stopped there first. I would only have one or two, much too smart to be drinking heading towards Irina. The bartender poured me a whiskey sour and I thanked him, paying for my drink. "You don't look like the kind of man that likes to talk." I looked up at the young girl and gave her a half smile. "No. I'm not." What was I supposed to say? Oh, my daughter's in love with a wanted terrorist. In fact, he's in her appartment now. No, that wouldn't ever happen. Irina could take the pain away. "Would you like another?" I shook my head, not even realising that it ws gone. "I'm in a hurry to get to my wife." I watched as she checked for a ring. "Lost it a long time ago. Still haven't replaced it." She gave me a 'it's none of my business' shrug and I left. I sped all the way to the airport. _When did you start needing her this bad?_ I couldn't think of an answer. _Maybe you always have._

I got into Russia without mishap and carefully made my way to Irina's apartment. I knew it was dangerous. I knew that I could be killed. I knew that I could be tried in America for collaborating with a terrorist. I knew that I could be killed for treason against my country. I knew that if I wasn't, that would leave me with nothing. I knew if I wasn't then it would follow me for the rest of my life. But none of that mattered once she opened the door and she was in my arms again.

I woke up, she was still laying there in my arms and I beamed at her. "The sun is coming up." I smiled wider. I loved her morning voice. "And?" She chuckled. "Alright." She snuggled in closer to me and kissed me gently. "Are you just going to stay all day." I nodded, her beaming up at me was her only response. As she laid her head back on my chest, I realized that the wounds "that were too deep to heal" that Sydney was reffering to weren't physical. "She needs him like I need you." I hadn't meant to say it out loud, but once I had, there was no taking it back. She looked up at me, confused and then the realizating dawned in her eyes. "Yes, yes I think she does." I couldn't meet her eyes for the next question. "And him?" She paused. "He loves her like I love you." My eyes went to hers and I sighed. "He saved her, Jack. Killed at least twelve men. On his own. No plan. No team. Just a gun, three clips, and his love for her." I nodded again, trying to make a plan myself. "He stayed in one place for four months. You know how dangerous that is for people like us." Again, I nod. "I've been here for six. I'm lucky though." I look down at her. "Has it been six months already?" She smiled and nodded. "You stay here and I'll make us breakfast." I laughed at her then. "Yeah, yeah, I'm going." I kiss her and head towards the kitchen.


	8. Running

**A/N: I STILL DON'T OWN ALIAS... ALTHOUGH I'D LIKE TO :P THERE'D BE A LOT MORE SARKNEY GOIN' ON!! LOL THIS CHAPTER IS SYDNEY AND SARK'S SPLIT POV**

When I woke up the next morning, Sark was no where to be found. I wanted to call out for him, but I was too busy thinking this must be how he felt when he woke up without me. I didn't want to know if he'd left yet. I'd know soon enough. I rolled over into the spot where he had slept and I could still smell him, the spot long since gone cold. I had started to think last night was some sort of sick dream when he appeared like an angel with a wooden tray. There was a flower and a newspaper with pancakes. He grinned at me and sat the plate in front of me. I laughed when I got a good look at the pancakes. He'd found whipped cream and made me a smily face. His grin widened. "I'm glad you like it Sydney." I beamed up at him as he joined me back in bed. He wrapped his arms around me and snatched the paper, laying back and reading it like he belonged here. I rolled my eyes and started to scan the front page while he wasn't reading it. He liked to start in the middle for some reason.

And then a phone rings, breaking the serenity of our morning. It isn't mine, because with a ringtone like that I would shoot myself. "I hate it too, that's why it's set for that person." I looked over at him, wondering if I'd said it out loud. "No, I'm just magic." I hit him playfully while laughing and he flips his phone open, sobering me quickly. I can't hear who's on the other line so I wait patiently.

"Are you still in L.A. Julian?" I ran my hands through my touseled hair. "You're still with her I'm assuming." The voice continues before I can answer. "I need you to keep her occupied throughout the day so that she doesn't go looking for her father." I chuckle then. "Ah, it seems that both of our locations aren't so, um... How should I say?" She becomes serious then. "Stop it Julian. Just go back to her and keep her occupied. He'll be back tomorrow." I nod and flip the phone shut. This wasn't going to be easy.

I start to wonder who was on the phone with him when I realize that I probably don't want to know. I snatch the paper and finish reading my article while he watches me. He eats a bite of my pancake and I simply smile. _This is how life should be all the time._ Again, a phone rings. This time I know it's mine. He shoots me a look and I check the caller ID. "DAD" it says, so I answer it quickly. "Sydney, will you please tell Kendall that I won't be in today. I'm meeting with a contact. If he asks anything else tell him I'll be in the office tomorrow." I'm beyond confused now. "What contact?" He doesn't answer and I begin to think that he's lost service. Then I hear a feminine voice in the back calling for my dad to come back. I know that voice. That voice belongs to one woman in the entire world. The last woman I thought my father would be with. There is still silence on his end of the line and I wonder what he's thinking. "Dad?" Sark's head snaps towards me and then I understand. She had called Sark earlier. I get up out of the bed, ignoring his attempts to stop me. "Sydney. Tell Sark to bring you to Moscow. Tell him to follow the necessary precautions. He'll know what to do." I try to swallow the lump in my throat. I was right. It was indeed my mother on the other line. "Of course." I hang up and toss my phone down. I can't look at him. He knew. He knew about my parents and didn't breathe a word.

_Shit._ That's all I could think. She's already gotten out of bed, I have to think fast. She tosses her phone on the nightstand and she moves to put more space between us, well I can't let that happen. I know that if it does, she'll never come back to me. She can't meet my eyes, which is also very, very, not good. "Sydney." She held up a hand, not ready to hear my voice either it seemed. "I'm so sorry. But your mother..." I trail off then, knowing nothing I say can redeem me. I nod, despite her not being able to see me. "What did she say?" I watch her shoulders tense. "For you to bring me to Moscow." Again, I nod. "I'll make the arrangements." And with that, she leaves the room. I can't help but have a flashback of the day she left me alone in New York and want to follow her, but I don't know what to say. There's nothing to say.

I changed and slid my tennis shoes on. I needed to go for a run. I ran as far and as fast as I could, trying not to think. I play what my dad calls "angry rock music" that I only listen to when I get mad.They've crossed a line this time. He lied to me. That's why we haven't been looking for her. He knew all along. Sark knew too. And he didn't say not one thing. I keep running, ignoring the burn in my legs and the fatigue setting up within me. Finally, I collapse on a bench and sigh, trying to get myself back under control. An hour passes as I rest. I walk to get a bottle of water, the one thing I'd forgotten to bring. I chug it down and I'm jog home. I walk the last part of the way, not sure that I'm ready to face him again yet. When I get there, my travel bag is by the door and seems to be packed. He is no where to be found, so I get into the shower, trying to wash the bad parts of that morning off of me. The hot water pours down over me, and my aching muscles relax a little. I hear someone come in, praying it's him. I get out and wrap a towel around myself, ready to get some answers. I move into the living room and almost called out to him when I saw Vaughn standing there.

I try not to get agitated. _Where is Sark anyway? If someone saw him..._ I took a deep breath and tried not to let that train of thought continue. I smile at Vaughn, who's still just standing there. He moves towards me and I see where this is going. _This has to end. _"Let me go get dressed really quick." He nods, looking slightly deflated. I come back in two minutes, my hair pulled up in a loose ponytail. I smile at him again, not really sure what to say. The two minutes hadn't been enough to formulate any kind of plan or speech to let him down easy. It was my job to be prepared for anything- but I wasn't prepared for this.

I could tell he was nervous, the wrinkles on his forehead stood out more and he shifted around a lot. _That could get him killed one day._ I took a deep breath and just watched him. I didn't know what to say. There was something he needed to say, so I let him gather his thoughts. "I have to ask you something." I nod. "You've been distant since you dissapeared for those two weeks." At first, I thought he might be fixing to ask if I was alright, but I knew him better than that. "I don't know what happened. But it's been months." _Thank you Captain State The Obvious,_ I think to myself but motion for him to continue. "Do you want to sit?" I knew that we could be here a while. He shook his head adamently. "Okay." Now I was getting nervous. "Sydney..." He blinked a few times. "Syd..." I took a deep breath, trying to keep my patience. "I love you. I've always loved you." I smiled at him, but inside I was begging him silently not to go where I thought he was fixing to go. He hit one knee and pulled out a velvet baby blue box. "Will you marry me?"


	9. Leaving

**A/N: I STILL DON'T OWN ALIAS... JUST MY WILD IMAGINATION ;P ANOTHER UPDATE... THIS CHAPTER IS IN SYDNEY and SARK'S POV**

**SORRY IT'S SO SHORT... ANOTHER UPDATE SOON...**

I lay there for about fifteen minutes before I get up and change clothes myself. I called a contact of mine, and tell him what to bring to me. It's a short conversation, with no arguments from him. In twenty minutes, the bag is delivered to Sydney's apartment. I go through it, getting everything ready. I fold the clothes neatly and pack her travel bag, placing it by the door. I'm not going to wait on her to get back. Not this time. It's been fourty-five minutes by now as I go out the way I came.

I drive around for a while, trying to clear my head. If the CIA finds me... I shake my head, shaking that thought off. Who cares? Let them do their worst. I need to figure out how I'm going to make this up to Sydney. I know she'll go to Moscow. It's been almost an hour and a half now. I stop at the store and pick up the one thing I forgot. I got back to her apartment in time to see Vaughn leave and my heart breaks. I side the chapstick into the jacket pocket discreetly and walk over to her. "Let's go." I can tell from her voice that she's been crying. "Here." She looks confused as I hand her the slip of paper. "Follow these instructions." Realization dawns in her eyes. "You're not coming with me?" Her voice sounds small and as much as it pains me, I know what I have to do. "No." She walks to the door and pauses, I beg her to ask what's on her mind silently, but instead she leaves.

I feel empty. Knowing she's halfway across the world. And there was nothing I could do to change that.

SYDNEYS'S POV--

I was getting nervous. "Sydney..." He blinked a few times. "Syd..." I took a deep breath, trying to keep my patience. "I love you. I've always loved you." I smiled at him, but inside I was begging him silently not to go where I thought he was fixing to go. He hit one knee and pulled out a velvet baby blue box. "Will you marry me?" I swallow, trying to formulate words. "Vaughn..." I shake my head and I walk over to him. I help him up and tears well up in my eyes. "I can't." He looks shocked for a minute as he tries to process my words. "But Syd..." I shake my head again. "Vaughn, I..." I took a deep breath. "I love you. I do. But..." He nods, trying to understand. "If it's too soon..." I close my eyes and now we're both crying. "No Vaughn. Do you remember when we were going to go to Santa Monica?" He nodded and smiled. "We never did. It's always going to be like that." I take a deep breath, and when I speak again, my voice is just above a whisper. "I'm not going to leave this life. I'm not ready yet. You are. You're ready to settle down and have a family. I'm not."

"Are you sure?" I nod and kiss his cheek. "I'm sorry Vaughn." He doesn't meet my eyes. I don't blame him. "This is for the best." He thinks for a minute, I see the wheels in his head turning. "There's someone else isn't there?" He says it, but he's not sure. "There has been since you dissapeared. Did someone even have you or were you just with him?" I want to slap him. Hard. "How dare you." My teeth clench and I tense up. Suddenly, I sense that Sark is near. _Great, just what I need right now._ "I think you need to go now Michael." Vaughn nods and turns to leave but always the dramatic one, he pauses at the door and whispers. "Goodbye Sydney."

Sark walks into the living room behind me, but I know he's not too close to me. He knows better. "Let's go." I walk to the door and grab my bag. "Here." His voice is quiet, knowing I need my space right now. "Follow these instructions." I look at him. "You aren't coming with me?" My voice sounds small and I want to cringe. "No." He says simply. Like it isn't that big of a deal. I nod, like I don't really care. I want to ask if he'll be here when I get back but I can't bring myself to. Not right now. So instead, I leave.

I slide into the jacket that he packed for me. The bag had clothes I'd never seen before. He'd no doubt bought them for me. I was in Moscow, the weather was insanely cold. I shove my hands in my pockets and find a glove in each one, chapstick and some money. I smile softly, he was taking care of me when he was halfway across the world. Then it occured to me that I didn't know where he was. I sigh and make my way to the address that he had written down for me. I get there with no problems and knock on the door. Irina opens it and she looks radiant. "Sydney. Come in, quickly." I nod, sensing the urgency in her voice. I wasn't in the mood for games. "Sydney." Ah, there was the ever elusive Jack Bristow. "Here." I look at him confused. It was a piece of faded paper. I unfold it and it's a marriage license. I look at both of my parents, my dad has his arm wrapped around my mom and... then it all clicks.

They're still married.


	10. Cat and Mouse

**A/N: I STILL DON'T OWN ALIAS... JUST MY WILD IMAGINATION ;P ANOTHER UPDATE TODAY... THIS CHAPTER IS IN SYDNEY and SARK'S POV AGAIN...**

**AND A SLIGHT CORRECTION TO THE LAST CHAPTER... IT'S SANTA BARBARA NOT SANTA MONICA THAT SYD AND VAUGHN WERE GOING TO. SORRY ABOUT THAT, BUT THANKS FeralElektra FOR POINTING IT OUT : )**

Somewhere in the background, I can hear my dad speaking still. I'm still trying to process all of this when mom starts to talk. "Do you want to sit down?" _Oh God. Vaughn. _I close my eyes. _What have I done? I'm throwing my whole life away for Sark. _All of a sudden I couldn't breathe. I need to sit down. No, I need to leave. Instead of doing either I run to the bathroom and empty the contents of my stomach. When I wake up I'm in a room alone, covered up with a light blanket. It takes me a moment to get my bearings back and realize where I am and just why I was there. I rub my eyes and try to sit up. I get up out of the bed and change clothes. I try not to think about Sark. _He won't be there when you get home. He'll have left you like you left him._ _Like you left Vaughn._ The tears come then. I pack my things and slip out unoticed.

I head back for America. I take a regular flight under an ALIAS and head for home. I'm too tired to care that I'm riding coach and I am surrounded by parents who won't control their children. I try not to care that there's only one person I want sitting next to me and that's one person that I can't ever be seen with out in public unless I've got a gun trained on his head. I sigh and lean back, turning off my overhead light, trying to sleep but failing. I can never sleep on planes with other people. I don't trust anyone. I'd never slept when I spent nights with Vaughn. Not for lack of trying. I just couldn't. There was only one person I'd slept with... I shake my head again. I try not to think about Francie either. I try to only think about going home.

The flight lands hours later (**A/N: I have no clue how long it takes to get from Moscow to L.A.) **and I'm headed for home, trying to shake the jet lag as I drive. I get to my apartment building and start the journey up the stairs. As I thought, there was no sign of him. Anywhere. No proof he'd ever been here. There were ten messages on the machine and a note from Weiss but that was it. Nothing.

After a week of no contact, I was beginning to give up hope again. I wasn't going to wait around like last time. Four months was far too long a time period to spend pining over him. I go to work like nothing's wrong. Vaughn won't look at me, Weiss is trying to understand. I haven't spoken to my father since Moscow. I'm not entirely sure what to say. Marshall is the only one who acts the same. But he's Marshall. Oblivious to almost everything. "We have a semi deep cover mission for you Sydney." My heart fluttered and butterflies started up in my stomach. Finally something to take my mind off of everything. "You're going to Russia." Almost instantly I deflated. I see something spark in Dad's eyes, but as always he's a perfect mask of nothing even close to emotion.

I nod. "Alright. The target?" Kendall looks at me, trying to decide where this new found enthusiasm is coming from I can tell. "This man." A picture pops up on the screen. The man is in his mid to late fourties, dark thinning hair. He wasn't bald, but it was going. Blue eyes, like ice. _Like Sark's. _I don't think about this. "We're not sure about his name. They simply call him Tundra." I assume the connection is the ice in his eyes, however you never can be sure. He was about one fourty, one fifty- most of which was muscle. I'd taken worse. "Gain his trust. Find out who he is, who he's working for if anyone. Find out what his objective is. You know the deal." I nod. "How long?" He regards me for a moment. "However long it takes." Again I nod. "See Marshall for your optech and new identity while on the op. Wheels up in two hours." I leave the confrence room before I can be stopped by anyone and head straight for Marshall's office.

He gives me my op tech with his normal blubbering. "You are now Jane Adams. You could be there for a while, a wig would get risky." I watch him for a minute. "So are roots." He nods. "You're right, you're right." I sigh. "What color am I dying it Marshall?" He smiles. "Red." So now here I am, getting on a flight for Russia. I'm Rachel Kline right now on the plane, a blonde wig, and blue contacts. A southern belle. I won't become Jane Adams until the plane touches down in Moscow's airport. All of these lives. All of these lies. They're all starting to blend in together. It's beginning to get to be too much.


	11. Moscow, Russia

**A/N: I'M STILL REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE STORY, SORRY THE UPDATE TOOK SO LONG. I DON'T OWN ALIAS, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH... AND ALL THAT GOOD CRAP**

**HERE'S THE NEXT CHAPTER... STILL IN SYD'S POV- MORE ABOUT THE MISSION... THE SAVOY HOTEL IS AN ACTUAL HOTEL IN MOSCOW. THE WONDERS OF THE INTERNET : ) I HAVE THE WEBSITE ON FILE IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THE PICTURES JUST PM ME AND LET ME KNOW AND I'LL EMAIL IT TO YOU.**

When the plane lands in Moscow, I exit like a normal person but inside I'm reeling. I love the adrenilne that courses through my veins on missions like these. I go into the bathroom quickly, pulling everything I need out of the bag. I quickly put on the wig, I'll dye it later. For now I don't have enough time. I have to hurry, not staying too long. Nothing about me can be suspicious and raise any red flags. I wonder if he watches the airport security. If he has then he knows me from my earlier trip to Russia. I sigh but keep moving. I'll figure that out later. Marshall told me that he didn't, so I have nothing else to do but to trust the CIA's intell. I think back to the picture of the mark and decide that I'm going to name him. No more of "the man" business. What can I name him?

I leave the airport bathroom Jane Adams leaving Rachel Kline there. I have a new walk now, new hair, new clothes, a new attitude. This is one of my favorite parts of my job. When I get to decide on my alias. What I look like, what I wear. It's strangely empowering. On to phase two. Alright, now I have to go to the Savoy Moscow Hotel. It's beautifully lit up in the dark and I'm anxious to get there. There are only sixty-seven rooms so I should be relatively alone here. It's in the very center of everything in Moscow. I hit Rozhdestvenka Street and there it is. Just as beautiful as I remember it being. I park directly in front of the building, not feeling like walking. The lounge is decorated beautifully. The walls are creme, framed with whit trim. It is beautifully wonderful, however still not ornate. I check in, skipping the fire place. It was a bit too warm for that. The staircase is beauiful. White marble stairs, gold trimming surrounding them, and two beautifully lit lamps. It's like something out of a dream. There is a large golden S engraved in the floor and my mind drifts to Sark again. _Now isn't the time. Focus on the mission._

I walk into the room which is decorated in light greens. I flop on the bed, tipping the bellboy who followed me up to help me with my bags. There was a fire place, so I walk over and light a fire. I put a "DO NOT DISTURB" sign on the door and go about the dirty business of dying my hair. The bathroom is fairly large sized, brown marble surrounded me, reminding me my of what I was having to do. I sigh and begin to comb through it. I decide that I'll wash it first and run some bath water. A bath can't hurt. I find some bubbles and smile, adding them too. The mission wouldn't start for hours. I could formulate a plan and soak in hot bubbles for a while at the same time. Thirty minutes later, I'm lathering my hair with red solution. Another thirty minutes later I'm ready to go. **(A/N: I'M REALLY NOT SURE ABOUT THAT lol) **I change clothes, deciding on my black open-back curvy jersey dress from Victoria secret and go down into the lobby again finding my way to the bar. There are statues on either side of me, two men supporting the celing on either side. The white and creme remain, decked out in marble.

I navigate my way carefully to the bar and smile at the bartender. "Симпатичный вечер не так ли?" He looks up at me and smiles. "Я испуган я не знало несоосность. Я был на обязанности всей ночой." I smile again. "Я реально не забочу вы служите мне как раз делаете его сильно." He seems to understand exactly what I mean and he pours me some whiskey. I smile at him once again and begin to walk off. "Вы смотрите как вы умеете как иметь потеху." I laugh, turning back towards him. "Те найти вне?" I ask coyly. Apparently he does. "I get off in five minutes." He tells me, his English almost flawless, again I laugh. "I don't know if I can wait that long." He regards me for a moment. "Drink that and you'll be begging to come with me." I take his double meaning in stride and shoot him a 'you don't want none of this look' but it was way too late for him it seemed.

I'm past ready to leave by the time the five minutes is up. I ditched the drink a while ago, not bothering to even sip it. It was all part of the plan. He was working for the mark. Low level survailence at the hotel. I wondered if he would take me to work. I link my arm through his and we leave. The adreniline is pumping again. I'm trying to listen to what he's saying but it's hard. I decide that I will name the mark Melor. (**A/N: Means Communist Creation in Russian)** I seem to be satisfied with this and the boy tells me his name is Dima. I smile and tell him my name is Jane but he can call me Fedora. It is his turn to laugh now at my joke. (**A/N: Means God's Gift in Russian)** "Well of course." We continue walking until we reach the Bolshoi Theatre. It is June so I know that the play season has just ended. We are not going to see a play. Again I smile slowing my walk. "I thought you said we were going to party." I say and he grins at me like a kid at Christmas. I understand before he says it. "We are." I nod and I know. He's taking me to Melor.

We walk around the building and I see the door before he shows me but feign ignorance. I don't need my cover to be blown so early. Especially over a door. I grin widely at him as he takes me through the door. The hall is dimly lit and I see a rat scurry across the floor. _A party indeed._ "Dima?" I shoot him a quetstioning glance, honestly wondering where we're going. He smies sweetly at me. "Calm down Fedora. All in good time. I have to drop something for work." I nod at his botched English and continue to follow him. The passagway narrows and I am forced to walk behind him, attached only by the hand that is still holding tightly onto mine. I can sense that he is nervous to be bringing me here. In truth, I'm nervous too. I'm not so sure that I want to see Melor at any point. Much less right now. In this dress. In these shoes. It was more running in said shoes that I was concerned with at the moment.

"Come on. Keep up. Don't want you getting lost." I nod and work harder to make my stride match his. Normally it wasn't so hard to do. It's my job to make people believe my ALIAS. I take a deep breath and squeeze his hand. The room that we bust into is loud. Real loud. The music is blaring. There is an upstairs room. Probably VIP. Good. But this is almost too easy. It's never this easy. Ever. And then I see him. My target.

_**TRANSLATION**_

Lovely evening isn't it? (into Russian) Симпатичный вечер не так ли?

I wouldn't know miss. I've been on duty all night (into Russian) Я испуган я не знало несоосность. Я был на обязанности всей ночой.

I don't really care what you serve me, just make it strong. (into Russian) Я реально не забочу вы служите мне как раз делаете его сильно.

You look like you know to have fun. (into Russian) Вы смотрите как вы умеете как иметь потеху.

Want to find out? (into Russian) Те найти вне?


	12. Dima and Me

**A/N: I DON'T OWN ALIAS OR ANY OF IT'S CHARACTERS. IT'S BEEN A BAD DAY, MAYBE THIS WILL CHEER ME UP. HERE IT IS!**

_**Previously on ALL THESE LIVES:**_

_"Come on. Keep up. Don't want you getting lost." I nod and work harder to make my stride match his. The room that we bust into is loud. Real loud. The music is blaring. There is an upstairs room. Probably VIP. Good. But this is almost too easy. It's never this easy. Ever. And then I see him. My target. _

Dima leads me up the stair case and says something to the man by the door in Russian. The man nods and lets us through. _Seriously, could this op be any easier? I'll be home in a few days at this rate._ It's quieter here, and I relax a little. Now I don't have to strain to hear what's going on. Dima walks over to Melor and hands him something, speaking to him for a moment, and pointing at me. Melor nods and Dima motions me over. I play the unsure part well. I _really_ don't want to have to kill them right here. Melor smiles warmly at me and Dima nods at him. It's almost like he's seeking his approval. "She's lovely son." He says. I want to laugh and dance. This was the perfect set up. "Thank you, Father." I smile warmly at them both. Apparently, Dima didn't tell him we had just met. He leans over and places a kiss on my cheek. "Just play along." I lean into him, letting him know that I understand. After all, that's my job.

Again, Melor nod his approval. "You and your redheads." He chuckles and Dima wraps an arm around my waist, beaming with pride. I store that away. His father's approval is very important to him. That can be of use to me. I smile at him and kiss him gently on the cheek, nuzzling up to him. He seems suprised at first, but does a good enough job hiding it. "Well, you two run along and have fun. You should come back..." He pauses, searching for a name. I open my mouth to speak when Dima cuts in. "I call her Fedora." Melor's eyes light up, even more pleased with me or maybe his son it seems. "Well, Fedora, it was very nice to meet you. You'll have to come back tommorow with my son. My other son will be joining us no doubt at some point this week." At this Dima lit up as well. "Truely?" Melor laughed. "Yes, son. He will. With much reluctance I might add. But he's coming. He has some business here. Maybe you would like to help." Dima is like a small child again, nodding adamently and beaming from excitement.

"Alright, run along now you two. I have some business to take care of." Dima nods and leads me out another door at the side of the room, away from the bustling club downstairs. "So that's your father?" He smiles and nods as we walk. "The one and only. He's a trip, but I love him." I nod. "I know how you feel." He regards me for a moment. "And your mother?" His eyes became guarded and I knew before he answered. "She's dead." I act apologetic. "I'm so sorry Dima." I cast my eyes down and he is watching me. "Mine is too." He puts a hand on my shoulder trying to offer me comfort. I look back up and smile bravely. "It was a long time ago thoguh." He nods again. "Me as well." I take his hand in mine and we continue walking. "Do you want to go back to the hotel?" I realize now how late it is and the jetlag hits me quickly. "Do you mind? I hate to cut our night short." He smiles and shakes his head. "I'll forgive you if you agree to come out with me agian tomorrow night." _Too easy._ "Of course." I say as I smile.

When we get to the hotel he walks me to my room and for a moment, I wonder if he is going to ask to come in. Instead he pecks my lips, showing his age and tells me goodnight. Just like the perfect gentleman. "Dima." I call after him. He turns and looks me in the eye. "How long does your father think we've been together?" He looks sheepish. "Two months." I nod. "That piece of information will come in handy." I smile and he nods sheepishly. "I'm sorry..." I shake my head and cut him off. "I don't mind. Trust me." I slip inside my room to the sound of the phone ringing.

"Hello?"

"Is this Miss Adams?" My heart beats a little faster. "Yes. Who is this?" The voice sounds so familiar, but it's an American accent. Maybe somebody I met at the club? "I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you." I become indignant and then there is a knock on the door. I'm hesitant to answer it and leave the phone. I'm not entirely sure I should do either. "Are you going to get that?" I try to act as if the phone call hasn't bothered me. "Of course." I put the phone down and start for the phone, grabbing for my gun. There's nothing good about this. There's no way I could have been made so quickly. I look through the peephole but don't see anyone. I open the door slowly and there's a rose. A single red rose. I bend to pick it up and when I look up, there is none other than the voice himself. "It's rude to hang up on people Miss Adams." I narrow my eyes at him. "It's also rude to call people in the middle of the night." He shrugs and stuffs his hands in his suit pocket. "Are you going to invite me in?" I regard him for a moment and then shrug. "I would. But then I'd have to kill you." He chuckles and then I see something in his eyes when he rakes them slowly over my body, setting me on fire. When his eyes meet mine again, they're a shade or two darker.

"So," he began again, "is this dry spell finally over?" Indecicision flashed on her features as she shifted awkwardly.

"I don't-" Apparently, he was fed up with my talking. He silenced me by crashing his lips to mine. At first I didn't respond. I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him like I had never kissed anyone before in my life. In each kiss I felt as if I was connected to him, his lips mirroring what I was feeling. I pulled away, smiling sheepishly.

"So, I'm kind of starting to reconsider the waiting," I muse out loud.

"Starting to, clearly I haven't kissed you enough," I laugh as he kisses me again, arms wrapped tightly around my waist.

"Alright, I am completely sold on not waiting," He smiled at my words, kissing me tenderly.

"Good, because I wasn't going to wait much longer anyway." He smirks at me and before I can say or do anything, his lips are fused to mine. He's got his arms wrapped around me, pulling me impossibly close to him. Our bodies meet and everywhere his hands touch leaves a trail of fire in their wake. He pulls me closer still when I pull at his crooked upper lip with my teeth gently and unties the back of my dress. I don't ask why he's here. I don't need to know. I don't ask how he knew my alias or how he knew where I was staying. He was here and that was all that mattered.

When I woke up the next morning, he was gone. This time I knew there'd be no breakfast in beds or cuddling all morning until the phones ringing made us get up to find them amidst our discarded clothes. No. None of that. He knew I was on a mission, no doubt he knew what for. And then I remembered where I was and why I wasn't speaking to Sark in the first place. Oh yeah. He left me. Again. I sigh and climb out of the bed to get ready. I use my cell phone to check in with the CIA. I tell them about Dima and the playhouse. Kendall tells me to keep up the good work and disconnects the call. I don't tell them about Sark. No. That just wouldn't do. I need to get my head in the game.

I open my laptop and E-Mail my dad like I do almost everytime I'm away on the trip. I don't want to say the wrong thing and I want to be supportive. I just got my dad back and I didn't want to lose that becuase he wasn't completely honest with me. _Like Sark._ Again I sigh. I don't want to think about that any more. I hit the send button and close the laptop. I need to go shopping.

JACK'S POV--

My computer beeps, I have a new E-Mail. It suprises me that it's from Sydney. I start to open it as the phone rings. "Bristow." There is a pause and I know it's her. "It's secure." I hear her expel a breath and I know that whatever this is can't be good. "Sark is in Moscow." I swear under my breath. "Sydney didn't mention it in her report when she talked to Kendall, maybe she hasn't seen him yet." I knew that Irina was giving me one of her looks. "I saw him when the plane landed. He looked miserable. He told me he was going out and when he came back, he was practically beaming. I asked why but he just smiled at me. He saw her." I sigh. "There's nothing you can do Jack. I know that's hard for you to accept, but there just isn't. She's old enough to make her own decisions. And this is her decision to make. I believe that Julian loves her. He'll take care of her." I try to believe her. I want to. More than anything in this world. "Alright." That's all I can think of to say. "Who is Sydney's mark?" I blink, trying not to be suspicious.

"She's gathering intel from an unnamed person." Irina sighs. "I'm just wondering if her being here has anything to do with him being here. I mean, I know that he's here becuase he found out she was. But I don't know why either one of them are here." I rub my hand over my face and sigh again. "Alright. It's alright Jack. We'll figure something out. I just need to keep him busy until she goes home. I don't want him interfering with her job." I want to thank her, to tell her something, anything that might matter. "Jack?" Her voice is small and it scares me. "I love you too Darling." And then the phone line goes dead. I smile into the phone and go back to opening Sydney's E-Mail.

_**Dear Dad,**_

_**Moscow is lovely, although I prefer it when it's snowing. But I like the warm weather. It makes work here much easier. The hotel is beautiful, one of the nicest I've stayed in. I was thinking about the last time I was here. **_'Here we go.' I think to myself. _**I'm sorry. I was wrong to react the way I did. It just upset me that we haven't been completely honest with each other. When I get back, let's have lunch. Just me and you. We have a lot of talking to do. And don't cringe. We both knew that was coming. I love you Daddy and I'll be home soon.**_

_Just like her mother, they both know me so well._ I want to respond, but Marshall comes in blubbering as always. And then I hear that man's name and I kick into action.


	13. Something More

**A/N: I DON'T OWN ALIAS OR ANY OF IT'S CHARACTERS. HERE'S THE CHAPTER ALL THE SAME.**

Dima picks me up at seven o'clock and we're on our way somewhere that is not the playhouse. I begin to wonder if he is taking me to see Melor. "We're making a quick stop first." He tells me and I relax. "Alright." He takes my hand again and we start walking, trying to prepare myself for what's coming. I know that I'm going to have to follow him around like a dog on a leash. I know that I'm supposed to be gathering intel. And so far, all I've got is that Melor is a halfway decent father, loved by his children and his wife died when Dima was young. Dima is the youngest of two sons and he is a bartender because he likes it, not becuase he needs the money. Lord knows Melor was loaded. But so far that was it. I need to get something else to report. We go into a shadier part of Mosocw, what was supposed to be downtown. Nothing good can come of this.

DIMA'S POV

I pick Fedora up at seven, just like I said I would. She was stunning as I expected. We walk out of the hotel and she starts pulling towards the right, towards the playhouse. "We're making a quick stop first." I tell her as we walk to the left. She nods and I feel her hand relax in mine. "Alright." She says, startling me. I had almost forgotten she was back there for a moment. I could tell she was thinking. Deeply. I pull her a little closer to my side as we enter downtown Moscow. She doesn't resist, in fact she moves closer to me. That makes me feel empowered and I wonder if she knows what she does to me. It's only been two days, but I think I might like to keep her around.

We get to my brother's apartment and a small form answers the door. "Hello, Pashca. Is your papa home?" **(A/N: Pascha means small in Russian) **She nods and slips from my arms to run to get him. "Hello Alexei." **(A/N: Alexei means defender in Russian)** I say as soon as he comes into view. He tips his head in greeting to me. "Побегите вперед и сыграйте теперь, милочка." He tells her. She smiles up at him and nods, agreeing to do what he says. "Да господин." You can feel the trust radiating from her small frame and I beam at my brother. "You should really let me buy you an apartment." Alexei's eyes snap to mine like I have slapped him. "With papa's money? I don't think so, brother." I nod, letting my eyes fall to the floor. "He wants to see you Alexei. Please." He shakes his head, he won't listen to me. I know that. "Who is this?" I let him change the subject for now and smile over at her.

"This is Fedora." He smiles for the first time. "Did he name you this?" It was the first time that she had been addressed by anyone in my family and at first I was nervous. I began to answer for her when she squeezed my hand. "No." She said simply, leaving Alexei wondering. His eyes narrowed and he looked at me. "Can I see you for a minute in the kitchen please?" I shake my head. That's not good. "No, brother. I have to go to papa now. Come with me?" He snorts in disbelief that I would have the nerve to ask again. "And do what? Leave Pascha here? Alone? In the slums of Moscow?" He pauses for dramatic effect. "I think not brother. You go. Have fun. Enjoy her smiles..." He looks her over. "And what ever else you can, while you can." This does not ruffle her feathers and I am amazed. I see something flash in her eyes and I know it is time to go. "Alright. Tomorrow then?" He nods. "I'm going to kiss her goodnight." Again all I recieve is a nod. I walk back into her bedroom and kiss her goodnight. Tell her I love her. I'm not sure she hears it enough.

When I walk back into the living room, the tension is pallpable. I know something is wrong and I wonder what it is. If it was who she was, papa would have already have ID'd her. This was our city, there was no one coming in or out that we didn't know everything about. If papa said it was alright to bring her back to the playhouse, I know that she is in the clear. I take her hand and without a word, I leave.

ALEXEI'S POV

I pick up the phone as soon as they are gone. "I need a favor. He's taking her to the playhouse. She is American." The voice asks for the specifics and I give them to him. I hang up the phone and sit down on the couch to try and relax. I hear a gun cock behind me and feel the unmistakable cold of steel against the base of my neck. "I suggest you retract that call. We wouldn't want anything to happen that was unfortunate would we?" I know he means my daughter who is in the other room. But I also know he will not hurt her. However, he would be cruel enough to turn her over to my father. And that would be a fate I fear that would be worse than death.

"Alright, alright. Please put the gun away." He chuckles. "Not tonight." I sigh and retract the hit as he says. I'm not sure why it matters. Unless they are working together. But I know that he works alone. As she usually does.

"Your daughter will not see. I can promise you that." My heart leaps into my throat. "She hasn't been harmed I can assure you. You know me better than that. I can tell." I toss the phone on the table. "Bastard." I hiss, it's all I can do. I don't want to alert her to the present danger that is lurking. "Now that that is done. I want you to tell me why you ordered the hit." I laugh. "She's CIA. She's miliking my father." There is a pause and if it weren't for the gun still pressed to my head I would have thought he would have left as silently as he came. "Why do you care?" This isn't his usual behavior. Shoot first, ask later. "He's my brother. I see it in the way he looks at her." There is another brief pause. "Your brother will be taken care of. There's always a replacement to heal a broken heart." And with that, he was gone. What he came to do, or why he was there was unknown to me. I run to my daughter's room and check that she is still safe. My heart calms as I see that she is. "Come on Pascha." She runs to me, smiling and takes my hand. "You want to sleep with Daddy tonight?" She nods and runs ahead of me, sliding a little with her footie pajama's on. I know I won't be getting any sleep tonight, but it is worth it knowing that she is safe.

TRANSLATION

Run along and play now, darling (into Russian) Побегите вперед и сыграйте теперь, милочка.

Yes sir (into Russian) Да господин


	14. Guns and Vests

**Title: **These Aliases  
**Author: **people-alwayz-leave  
**Rating: **T  
**Pairings: **Sark/Sydney, Jack/Irina  
**Disclaimer: **I do not own anything to do with Alias.

**HERE'S THE CHAPTER ALL THE SAME. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HAS REVIEWED. YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME : ) HOPE THE RUSSIAN TRANSLATIONS AREN'T THROWING ANYONE TOO MUCH. I ALWAYS LIKED IT WHEN PEOPLE DID IT THAT WAY FOR SOME REASON :SHRUGS: SO HERE GOES**

SYDNEY'S POV

I think back to the look in the man's eyes. I know that look. It was a look of recognition. I needed to tell Kendall. But tell him what? I've been made and I need extraction? No. I'm going to do my job. I'll be extracted if I have no other options. And for right now, I do. I'm going to do my job. And then I'm going home. Dima leads me back to the playhouse. I can tell he's thinking, no doubt about his brother. "Maybe he'll come around." I hear myself say it and can't really remember why. He looks up and looks slowly over at me. "No Fedora. He will not." We finish the walk in silence as he leads me back through the dingy hall to the VIP room in the club. Dima takes Melor into a back room and I am left alone. I listen for anything that seems important, but there isn't really anything. Some low level drug dealers are making deals. A pimp is making money. Nothing that interests me. Until.

The body guard comes up asking for the boss. Someone says he's with Junior in the back. The guard mutters something about Junior being too junior to take over the business. That's interesting. So when he does take over, no one will be loyal like they are now. The man beside him catches it as well. "Well, Dimitri isn't doing that good of a job either. It won't last much longer." The bodyguard nods. I almost have an idea. But then I would be a tattle tale. Oh who was I kidding? This man could lose his life over this. But so could Dima. I sigh, not sure what to do. "Are you planning?" There is a pause. "Aren't I always? Just like when Alexei was in charge. It won't last. Alexei was too trusting. When his mother was killed," he paused shaking his head. "and his father moved back to Moscow, he may as well have given up then. There was almost no point." The bodyguard nods. "What is it going to take?" The man looks over at the bodyguard and smiles. "Only one. That's all it ever takes." Now I'm getting nervous. I don't like this at all. They're divulging too much in front of me. They can't be that stupid. "And me?" The qusetion was relatively simple. 'What is it going to take to save my own butt when he goes down?' "One thing." The bodyguard nods and waits for an answer beyond that. The first man pulls out a gun and shoots him between the eyes. "Always one thing."

Everyone looks up horrified. Dima comes running, shouting my name. I don't know what to do so I pull a Scarlet O'Hara. I fein fainting. He catches me right before I fall to the ground and picks me up. He tells the men on the couch to move in Russian and walks me carefully to it. He lays me down and strokes my hair. I let my eyes flutter open. He is there, so concerned. He looks so old. "I won't leave you again. I'm so sorry." He held my hand in his and squeezed it. Melor is standing with the man. "**Taras**, you're going to have to tell me what happened." **(A/N: MEANS MUTINEER OR REBEL IN RUSSIAN) **I know that Melor is attempting to be calm, but you can see it on his face that he doesn't like death. "Taras..." I try to whisper, but take a deep breath. It reminds me of the time that Will told me about ivestigating Danny's death right after he died, the act I put on in the resturant. "What darling?" Dima leans in closer to me and lovingly pushes the hair out of my face. "I think what she's trying to say, darling Dima, is that Taras shot and killed that bodyguard." There's only one voice that sounds like that. My heart stops.

Taras looks around like he's been slapped. "Pardon me sir?" He is cloaked in shadows, but I know. "You shot him. Right after you tried to get him involved in a mutiny against your boss." Taras pales considerably. "Isn't that what you were going for Miss?" All I can do is nod. Dima looks between the shadowed voice and me. "Is it true? You need to be absolutely sure. He will die for his crime." I look up at him with tears in my eyes. "I wish none of this were true." That's all the answer he needs. He is angry and I know the loyalty runs deep. They have already cleaned up the body I see and I am almost impressed with their quickness. Melor is standing there shocked. "Mutiny. In my own cousin. I made something out of you. I gave you money. I gave you a city of your own. But you're just never satisfied are you?" Taras looks away and Dima slaps him. Hard. When Taras falls to the floor he leans down and grabs him by the hair of his head. He whispers something in his ear. Taras says something back, and Dima tenses. When he stands, his eyes are cold and he kicks him swiftly in the stomach, no doubt as hard as he can. Taras rolls onto his side and for a moment, I am scared that he will kill him himself. "Take him." His voice is low and cold, sending a chill through the room. And down my spine.

DIMA'S POV

"But Father, she is growing so quickly. Go to Alexei. If you don't he will be lost forever." Right on cue it seems, a shot rings out. I run out quickly, forgetting my father. Forgetting Alexei and Pashca. Only thinking of her. I'm shouting her name and she looks up at me. And then she feints. I get to her right before she hits the ground. "Move!" I yell at the men on the couch. I stroke her hair, checking her for any wounds that she may have. Her eyes flutter open and my heart races. "I won't leave you again. I'm so sorry." I squeeze her hand, trying to reassure her the only way I know how. I know that my father is trying to be calm, but we had already feared this. He is standing with cousin Taras, talking it out. Whoever it was had to pay somehow. The severity of the punishment depended on the reasons. "Taras..." Her voice is weak and I wonder how she knows his name. "What darling?" I lean towards her to hear her better. I'm trying to remain calm also, knowing that when I find out who did this... "I think what she's trying to say Darling Dima is that Taras shot and killed that bodyguard." Fedora's eyes get wide when the voice speaks. It has startled us both. Taras looks around, trying to look innocent, but I see through it. "Pardon me sir?" The voice is hiding in the shadows but I can see his outline.

"You shot him. Right after you tried to get him involved in a mutiny against your boss." Taras pales, looking around for an exit. "Isn't that what you were going for Miss?" She simply nods. I looks between the shadowed voice and her. "Is it true? You need to be absolutely sure. He will die for his crime." She looks at me with tears in her eyes and I see fear and shock hidden there. "I wish none of this were true." That's all the answer that I need. Father is simply standing there, in a state of shock. "Mutiny. In my own cousin. I made something out of you. I gave you money. I gave you a city of your own. But you're just never satisfied are you?" Taras looks away and I slap him, not as hard as I can. My hand stings and burns where it made contact. When Taras falls to the floor I leaned down and grabed him by the hair of his head. "If you had hurt her. I would have killed you myself. You don't deserve the easy way out that you are going to get." Taras looks up at me and has the audacity to speak. "Just like your slut of a mother didn't. Selling herself for secrets." I tense and stand. I kick him swiftly in the stomach, as hard as I can. Taras rolls onto his side and for a moment, and I consider killing him myself. First Fedora and now my mother. "Take him." I almost don't recognize the voice that speaks. It is low and cold, sending a chill through the room. And then I recognize it. It is my brother's voice, coming from my mouth.

SYDNEY'S POV

They take Taras out the back entrance, and I'm not sure which makes me sicker. Knowing that he is there watching me, or knowing that a man just died because of me. Again. And it's then that I realize, laying on a couch in Moscow, playing girlfriend of a man I don't know, that I want out.

SARK'S POV

I watch her feign fainting. I move to catch her when Dima comes running out, shouting her name. He comes to her and catches her. I shrink back as I see what Alexei had been talking about. This wasn't good. Everyone looks around, a mixture of horror and fear. He walks her carfully to the couch and strokes her hair. I clench my fists. Her eyes flutter like they do when she first wakes up. _Stop it. Focus._ "I won't leave you again. I'm so sorry." He holds her hand and I watch as he squeezes it gently, trying to comfort her. I suddenly want to cut his hand off. I hear the boss talking with Taras. It's almost time. The boss isn't happy. He doesn't like when he doesn't know what's going on. Especially when it involves death with him in so close a proximity. I hear her whisper his name and I know that's my cue. "What darling?" Dima leans in closer to her and pushes the hair out of her face. Now I want to shoot him. "I think what she's trying to say, darling Dima, is that Taras shot and killed that bodyguard." My voice is snarkier than usual.

Taras looks around like he's been slapped and Sydney doesn't look much better, trying to follow my voice. "Pardon me sir?" I remain in the shadows that will make this much more dramatic than it already is. "You shot him. Right after you tried to get him involved in a mutiny against your boss." Taras pales considerably. "Isn't that what you were going for Miss?" All she does is nod and I want to laugh. The only time I have ever rendered her speechless and I can't tease her about it. Dima looks between her and where he thinks I am located. Although he is looking in the wrong spot, his eyes snap to hers. "Is it true? You need to be absolutely sure. He will die for his crime." I see the tears in her eyes. I know she wants to say no. If only to save a guilty man. "I wish none of this were true." He is angry and I know for sure that she needs to be taken away from him quickly.

The boss is clearly shocked by my revelation. He doesn't want to believe us but Dima's anger doesn't leave any room for argument. "Mutiny. In my own cousin. I made something out of you. I gave you money. I gave you a city of your own. But you're just never satisfied are you?" Taras looks away and Dima slaps him. Hard. I almost wince as Taras falls to the floor and Dima leans down and grabs him by the hair of his head. He whispers something in his ear. Taras says something back, and Dima tenses. When he stands, his eyes are cold and he kicks him swiftly in the stomach, no doubt as hard as he can. I know the look in his eyes. He wants to kill this man for whatever he has said. I know the feeling. Taras rolls onto his side and for a moment, I wonder if I'll have to step in before he has any blood on his hands. "Take him." His voice is low and cold, sending a chill through the room. I know he is shocked, as I am. He sounds just like Alexei. Something neither his brother nor his mother would be proud of.

"Well that was interesting." I say, emerging from the shadows. The boss' face is a mix of confusion and anger and... was that joy that I saw? "Anton?" **(A/N: MEANS TO GO INTO BATTLE, I THOUGHT IT FIT SARK RATHER WELL :P) **"Czar." I bow my head in mock respect and I wonder how long it will take to push him over the edge this time. He heaves a heavy breath. "Leave us." It is Dima's voice that speaks now. Everyone clears the room except for the three of us and Sydney. They all look at me as they go, wondering if I will walk out alive this time. I wink at a blonde and see Sydney bristle out of the corner of my eye. I want to take her away from all of this. I never meant for her to see any of this. But the funny thing is, we're both simply playing roles. "What do you want?" His anger still has not quieted and I wonder if he'll try to take it out on me. "I simply came to see my family. I heard there was an extended part of you." I look at Sydney and she looks away. She should be ashamed, but I know that it is not her fault. "She will go back to America soon." Dima looks away, and I know this may not be the best way to make him not angry at me. But I need him to look the other way while I make some extractions. I know she cannot leave without intel. I'm about to give it to her. The sooner she is back in L.A. the safer she will be.

"You have taken her to see Alexei then." It is not a question, but a statement that the boss makes to Dima. "I had to go see him. It was not planned." I want to laugh as he thinks that lame excuse will work. But the boss lets it slide. "You see," I start, knowing after this I will be hard pressed to come and go in Moscow alive. But Sydney is more important. "I wonder about you sometimes Dima. You helped overthrow your brother to help your father become a mobster. What have you gotten? A piece of the slums? Very nice." I mock applaud him. "And you. When is the last time you saw Pascha? You wonder why Alexei won't let you near her. Maybe it is becuase he fears for her life. Maybe it is becuase he loves her more than you ever loved our mother. Maybe it is becuase he is trying to do what's best for her." He shows no emotion as I continue, knowing I will continue either way.

"But when you killed her..." Fire burns in Dima's eyes and the boss stops me. "What do you want Anton?" I smile ruthlessly. "Truth." Sydney is sitting up now, watching us intently. "You won't find that here." It is Dima that speaks again and I want to laugh. So he is smart enough to know. Good. "Alright. Here's how it works. I'm walking out of here." The boss smiles and motions towards the door. "And I'm taking her with me." I motion to her with my gun. She is trying to look scared or intimidated or even shocked, but I can see right through it. Dima gets his feathers ruffled. He will want to fight, but I am the one with the gun. Out of no where he pulls out a 9 mil and shoots me. Sydney screams as I fall to the ground. Blood on his hands indeed. The pain in my chest is incredible. I sit up calmly, ignoring the pain and kick the gun out of his hands. Bullet proof vests come in handy. I grab Sydney's hand and we run.


	15. Family and Things

**Title: **These Aliases  
**Author: **people-alwayz-leave  
**Rating: **T  
**Pairings: **Sark/Sydney, Jack/Irina  
**Disclaimer: **I do not own anything to do with Alias.

**SORRY IT'S TAKEN SO LONG TO UPDATE. I KIND OF HIT A WALL MOMENTARILLY...**

Running from Russian mobsters. In the middle of their city. With no where to go. When they know your tells. Your hideouts. Becuase they helped you find them. Not a good idea. No, not a good idea at all. This, of course, did not occur to him until they quit running and started looking around for somewhere to go. "There's nothing left in my room. There was an overnight bag. That's it." He nodded in her general dirextion. "Right, then." He kept walking, leading her by the hand. "We have to go to her, don't we?" He sighed heavily. "I'm afraid so. Just for the night. It won't be anything prolonged. She can..." She cuts him off. "Protect us." She finished for him, nodding. "Alright. For the night." He nods and they keep going, still pulling her. _He's like a magnet. _She thinks. _Maybe it is only for me._ She mentally snorts. _Me and trouble._

SARK'S POV

I wonder if she realizes she's still holding onto me. Like somehow in all of this insanity that I'd help cause, I was an anchor. Maybe I was. But now was not the time for these thoughts. _Then when is it time?_ I wasn't sure when she had become the voice in my head. All I knew was it was not a comforting voice. Not in the least. _Or maybe the discomfort is that it means that you care. Not that it is my voice._ I sigh again, and I feel her start to pull away. And I realize in that moment that is the last thing that I want.

SYDNEY'S POV

I'm still holding onto him. I feel relaxed with him. Even when I know that we are being chased by Russian mobsters who are going to want blood. And not just anyon'e blood, our blood. Normally, I would be desperately searching for a plan. But holding onto him like this, somehow it helped to calm my nerves. What we were doing could be considered suicide. We get to Irina's apartment and I know she will not be happy. Nor will she pretend. She opens the door, and ushers us in quickly. "You've really done it this time haven't you?" I wasn't sure weather she meant me or Sark, but it didn't matter. She moved deeper into the apartment and pushed a bookshelf aside. The stairs that led up made me nervous. I started thinking about Anne Frank and her family. That didn't end well.

SARK'S POV

She pushes the staircase aside and beside me, Sydney tenses. She is still holding onto me. Irina sees and raises an eyebrow. I shoot her a look that clearly says don't mess with me right now. She says nothing as we begin to climb the stairs, simply moves the bookshelf back into place, shrouding us with darkness. We keep climbing and I count. It is something that I don't know why I do. But I count. Steps. Stairs. I count the letters in a word, convert them into numbers and then convert the numbers into the word. It's not something I do intentionally, on the contrary. I was sure that one of these days, it would get me killed. But for now, I have to deal with this. I look at her apologetically. It was my old room when I lived with Irina. One bed, a bathroom, and a small closet. She scans the room and then sits on the edge of the bed.

SYDNEY'S POV

We get to our destination and it is a poor excuse for living arangements. There is one bed, a bath room, and a small closet. I know he lived here before, I can just tell about the way he stands in the middle of the room, like a teenager waiting for approval from a study date or a friend. There are two bookshelves, one on each side of the room. I sit down on the edge of the bed and put my head in my hands. I feel the mattress dip as he sits next to me. "I know you don't like it." I look up at him. I know he doesn't mean the room. "I just hate coming to her for help." He nods. "Especially when you didn't cause this." I close my eyes, momentarilly, and roll my neck. When I look at him again, he looks shocked. I didn't have to ask. "You closed your eyes." I blink. Has he lost his mind? "No. Closing your eyes around someone is a symbol of trust. Even if it's only a small token, or a small amount." I nod briefly. I need to sort through my thoughts. "I promised you something didn't I?" I look over at him, and he lays back. He begins to talk and I'm mentally taking notes.

SARK'S POV

"You don't like nameless mark's. Have you named him?"

"Melor." I smile at her, and continue.

"Alright, we'll call him that then. Melor has three sons and a daughter. Alexei is the oldest. He has a daughter named Pashca, both of whom you've met. He used to rule over Moscow with an iron grip. He was fair. Crime rates went down and there was peace. Dima, the middle son, helped his father overthrow Alexei in hopes of not only staying in Melor's good graces, but a little bit of power never hurt. Alexei's wife, her name was Eve. She was a beautiful woman. You would have liked her very much, and she would have liked you in turn." I pause and sigh. "When Alexei's power was overthrown, he tried to get Eve and Pascha out of the country, or at the very least out of the city. But Eve was stubborn like you. She woudln't leave. She sent Pashca with a sister of hers to America. She went out to the market one day to get some bread and before anyone knew what happened, she had been gunned down. The shoot was no where to be found. Alexei wanted to die, and I'm sure he woul have drank himself into oblivion. That was the worst undermining of power that could have occured. No one from his family came to the funeral, except the youngest son. His story is a funny one though. Alexei and the youngest son aren't really related. In fact, Anton isn't related to any of the family." I pause again, closing my eyes. She puts her hand on mine comfortingly.

"Alexei found me on the streets, pickpocketing and taking what I could, living off others. He took me in, he was the closest thing to family I'd ever had. He made me his right hand man. I had power and influence. Not just here in Moscow, all over Russia. I loved Pashca and Eve, and I was brokenhearted the day she died. When Alexei fell from power, he left the country. Dissapeared with Pascha into thin air. I hadn't seen him in so long before this little excursion. I'm not entirely sure why he is back, but it can't be good."

I stop the story there, hoping that is good enough for her. "And the mother?" I leave my eyes closed, but I see it all in my head. "The day that Eve died, Alexei stormed the mansion. He was almighty pissed and he wanted blood to be spilt for hers. He had me and twelve other men. We stormed in, taking them by suprise. Everyone died that day except for the four of us. One of Melor's men," I shook my head. "He was a defector. Didn't work for us. He grabbed her and threatened to kill her. Melor shot him and when the guard went down, he pulled the trigger." I shudder and she lays down next to me. "She died that day, calling for Alexei. I don't know what she told him or what he heard that day. He left the next day. He went to get Pashca and dissapeared into thin air. I looked for him for years before he showed up here in Moscow." I feel her nod beside me. And then she does the unthinkable. She laughs.

SYDNEY'S POV

He opens his eyes and looks at me. Just lays there, looking at me. I'm propped up on my elbow, leaning down over him, looking into his eyes. He draws his lips into a thin line and sets his jaw. It wasn't funny, really. "I'm sorry." I whisper sheepishly. "I was just thinking about something Weiss said once about you that wasn't exactly nice. They were so wrong about you, you know?" He nods, trying to understand my outburst. He moves off the bed, and bustles about making a pallate in the floor and I can't help but smile. He lays down and closes his eyes. I move quietly, hoping that the bed wouldn't squeak. I perch on the edge of the bed, before I slide off. When I move his shirt off his stomach he looks shocked. I kiss my way up his stomach, pulling the shirt with me, pleased that his breathing is becoming irratic. I tug the shirt off and he sits up to help me. I straddle him carefully. But I want to show him. I slide my fingers over his face and smile softly at him. I brush my fingers over his eyes. My heart beats fast as they flutter shut. I place butterfly kisses all over his eyes, nose, and face, carefully avoiding his lips. I push him back and cover his body with mine. I kiss him gently and move my head to his chest. I nuzzle my head right above his heart and he takes my hand, intertwining our fingers together. He doesn't say anything, just pulls me up and lays me back on the bed. He lays down next to me, encasing me in his arms. And we stayed like that all night. It was the best sleep I think I'd ever had.


	16. A New Team Player

**Title: **These Aliases  
**Author: **people-alwayz-leave  
**Rating: **T  
**Pairings: **Sark/Sydney, Jack/Irina  
**Disclaimer: **I do not own anything to do with Alias.

**SORRY IT'S TAKEN SO LONG TO UPDATE. I KIND OF HIT A WALL MOMENTARILLY...**

SYDNEY'S POV

I begin to feel the effects of sleep lessen on me as I begin to slowly wake up. He pulls me closer to him, pretending to be asleep and I smile. I cuddle deeper into his strong arms and nuzzle my head into his chest. We lay there for a bit, just lying together. I stretch out beside him and mumble a good morning. He just lays there. "I know you're awake." Still he doesn't respond. I narrow my eyes and then smile. Fine. I reached up and ran my fingers through his hair, gently pulling when I reached the shorter hairs on the back of his neck. I let my fingers dance over the tan skin there and nibble on his ear lobe. I started to kiss on his neck, and the next thing I knew he had flipped me over and was on top of me, running his hands through my hair and smiling. His smile was contagious and I practically beamed at him. And then all of a sudden, his whole demeanor changed. He rolled off of me and dressed quickly, not saying a word. Just leaving me lying there. I had to admit, it hurt. Instead of following him and getting up to get dressed, I rolled over onto my side so I didn't have to look at him. Who was I kidding? It was so he couldn't see the hurt splayed acros my face. I hear him bustling over the small stove that occupies a corner of the room. There are no windows, so I have no clue what time it is. He's making breakfast, maybe? I lay there. I don't say a word. I don't move. And then, my mother appeared in the doorway and she didn't look pleased.

IRINA'S POV

I tried to move the bookshelf as quietly as possible. I wanted to see what they were up to. I knew that now was no time to be acting motherly, but I had to make sure. My cell phone vibrates in my pocket and I sigh. I check the caller I.D. and pick up. "Good morning, my love." It was a simple answer. He hardly ever called me. "Good mornig to you as well." The voice was a thick Russian accent and I shivered. "What do you want?" The voice seemed to be laughing at me. "I want Mr. Sark and his accomplice delivered to me." I ponder over this. I should have asked for more details last night. "In return, you get your husband back." How did they even know they were here? Maybe they were just bluffing. "What if I can't produce them?" The voice laughed, mockingly. "Oh Irina. Don't be coy. Unless you want to be alone again." And then the line went dead.

I walked through the doorway, finding a hurt Sydney and a bustling Sark. His domesticism (not sure if that's a word LOL) did not fool her. Not for one second. And neither did the unslept on pallate on the floor next to the bed. I wanted to smile, but I couldn't. "There's been a complication." This halts Sark's movement and Sydney sits straight up in bed. "What?" Her voice is tense and I can see her tense visibly as well. I look to Sark, but he isn't looking at me. He only has eyes for her. I can tell by his body language that he is only thinking of going over to her and comforting her, trying to protect her. He is not thinking about the danger we are all currently in and I need him to snap out of it. "They have Jack." He still did not look at me. "We'll get him back." There was an assurance in his voice that almost would have comforted me, had he been looking at me. But he was only looking at her. A tear slid down her cheek and he knelt before her. "We'll get him back. If it's the last thing I do. I swear to you, I'll do it." Suddenly, I felt as if I were an intruder in my own home. I very rarely felt out of place, but this was one of those moments.

She wasn't looking at him, only crying. And then she shot up off the bed and away from him. "We need a plan. We need gear. And we'll probably need another person or two." Her voice was hard and cold, but I knew better. Hurt flickered across Sark's face and I almost felt bad for him. Now I know how Jack must feel sometimes. "We'll need specs of the facility." I nod. I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of that. Without saying a word, I took out my phone and called the needed contacts. I got all of the things she had listed and turned back to her for guidance on what to do next. Wasn't it supposed to be the other way around. "How long?" I swallow hard. "Tomorrow." She nods. "Have you eaten?" I shake my head in response. She nods and takes my elbow, guiding me downstairs, leaving Sark gaping at us. She leads me into the kitchen and cooks a breakfast for two. I have the feeling that someting bad may have just happened between her and Sark, but I know it is not my place to interfere. She served the egg in a basket that I used to make for her when she was upset as a child. I grinned widely at her then and began to eat as she followed suit. There was an empty silence for a good couple of minutes before Sark made his appearance but he says nothing.

"They want a trade. You two for Jack." His eyes snap to mine for the first time and he leaves the room. He came back thirty minutes later. There is a knock on the door. I look at them confused, preparing to draw my gun, but then in steps Alexei. "Here is your team member." Sark finally speaks.


	17. Another Perspective

**Title: **These Aliases  
**Author: **people-alwayz-leave  
**Rating: **T  
**Pairings: **Sark/Sydney, Jack/Irina  
**Disclaimer: **I do not own anything to do with Alias.

**SORRY IT'S SO SHORT, I WAS SITTING AT THE HOSPITAL WHEN I WROTE IT. THIS CHAPTER IS ALL IN SARK'S POV TO ANSWER SOME OF THE QUESTIONS FROM LAST TIME...**

SARK'S POV

The morning sun finds her still wrapped up in my arms. If I wasn't careful, I could get used to this. Oh who was I kidding? I was already used to this. I was already attached. And I was already falling. Hard. I couldn't pinpoint when or where, but I just knew. I feel her stir beside me and pull her closer, pretending to still be asleep. Instead of moving or asking if I'm awake, she simple snuggles deeper into my arms, her head still on my chest. I told her things last night that she could use against me for the rest of my life. I wasn't scared of anything. I had no fear. But it spooked me to know that she knew my secrets. Even if it were only a few of them. She stretches out beside me. "Morning." I love her morning voice. It's rough from sleep, but completely unguarded. I lay there for a moment, almost forgetting I'm expected to respond.

"I know you're awake." I still don't respond. I love playing this game with her. I feel her smile beside me and I can see the look on her face, even with my eyes closed. She reached up and ran her fingers through my hair, gently pulling the shorter hairs on the back of my neck, and I struggle for control. She rubs the back of my neck and nibbles on my ear lobe. She's kissing my neck now and I can't help it. Screw control. I used the element of suprise and flipped her over so that she's laying beneath me. I smiled at her as I ran my fingers through her long hair. She grinned up at me and I lower my head to kiss her. I hear Irina in the hallway, and I feel my body tense. I know Sydney wouldn't want her to see us like this. This was just for me and Sydney. This wasn't a scene for everyone else. Especially not her estranged mother. I rolled off of her and dressed quickly, wishing Irina would hurry up and come so she could leave again. Out of the corner of my eye, I see her roll over onto her side and I realize that I've hurt her again. I bustle over the stove in the kitchen area. Maybe making her breakfast will help her mood. She's always cranky in the morning when she hadn't eaten. And then Irina appears in the doorway, looking particularly cranky. Great. Two pissy Bristow women. Just what every man wants first thing in the morning.

"There's been a complication." Immediately I forget breakfast and I see Sydney sit up in bed. Her face confirms by fears that I'd hurt her again. "What?" Her voice is tense and I can see her tense visibly as well. I can only watch her, desperately wanting to go to her. What's coming next can in no way be good. I just want to shield her from it all. Make all of the bad things that I've probably caused dissapear completely. "They have Jack." Irina is still speaking, but I can't tear my eyes from Sydney. The horror in her eyes was too much for me to handle. "We'll get him back." I was glad that my words came out calm and cool like I'd wanted. A tear slid down her cheek and I knelt before her. "We'll get him back. If it's the last thing I do. I swear to you, I'll do it."

She wasn't looking at me, only crying. And then she shot up off the bed and away from me. She was entering Mission Mode. "We need a plan. We need gear. And we'll probably need another person or two." Her voice was hard and cold, but I knew better. I feel the hurt flickered across my face. I just want to hold her and now she won't let me anywhere near her. "We'll need specs of the facility." Irina nods. It was hard to believe she was taking directions from anyone, much less her daughter. Without saying a word, she took out my phone and started dialing. Irina turns when it's done and looks to Sydney for further instruction. "How long?" Irina blinks. "Tomorrow." Sydney nods. "Have you eaten?" Irina shakes her head and Sydney takes her elbow, guiding me downstairs. I appeared in the kitchen, seeing she'd only made breakfast for the two of them and I cringe. Yeah, she was pissed. I don't say a word. Irina will speak when she's ready.

"They want a trade. You two for Jack." My eyes snap to hers and I realize that this is the first time I looked at her since she interupted mine and Sydney's morning. I leave the room and take out my phone.

"I need the best."

"What do you need, little brother?"

"I need some help. They have Sydney's father. I need another person. We could give daddy dearest a deep blow with this. It will undermine his authority completely. He can't even hold his own hostages."

"Alright." He doesn't even have to think about how this is going to work, or what I'm asking of him. We continue talking as I inform him of the protocal for getting to the aparment. I appear in the doorway, just as there is a knock. Amazing. She starts to draw her gun when she sees Alexei. "Here is your team member." I finally tell them, explaining everything.


	18. Endings and Beginnings

**A/N: SORRY IT'S BEEN SO LONG SINCE I UPDATED, I RE-READ ALL OF THE CHAPTERS IN THE STORY AND I THINK I'M READY TO UPDATE NOW lol THIS CHAPTER IS IN SARK'S POV…**

_"They want a trade. You two for Jack." My eyes snap to hers and I realize that this is the first time I looked at her since she interrupted mine and Sydney's morning. I leave the room and take out my phone. "I need the best." I can almost imagine him chuckling and plotting to shoot me. "What do you need, little brother?" I almost hated to do this._

_"I need some help. They have Sydney's father. I need another person. We could give daddy dearest a deep blow with this. It will undermine his authority completely. He can't even hold his own hostages." I could only imagine his face now too. "Alright." He doesn't even have to think about how this is going to work, or what I'm asking of him. We continue talking as I inform him of the protocol for getting to the apartment. I appear in the doorway, just as there is a knock. Amazing. She starts to draw her gun when she sees Alexei. "Here is your team member." I finally tell them, explaining everything._

"Alexei is here to help us get Jack back." My voice is calm, for that I am thankful. I refuse to lose my calm demeanor. Sydney is in Mission Mode so now I am trying to get my head into the same spot.

"Alright, here's how this is going to go." Now I am worried that Alexei may be in over his head, especially when it comes to Bristow women.

"If you're going to work on our team, you're going to have to learn to take some direction." Alexei shot me a look and I sent him a 'I tried to warn you' shrug.

"I think I've been doing that for entirely too long, Agent Bristow." She scoffed.

"Listen to me and listen good. This is my family that you're endangering by being pig headed. I know you're getting something out of this, I'm not a fool. Especially if you're related to Sark in any kind of way, blood or not, you aren't getting nothing out of this." I almost took offense to that.

"Do you consider me that selfish?" So much for Mission Mode. I can't help it, that one hurt. Her head snapped to me.

"You know what I meant, Sark." Before, she was calling me Julian. Now it was back to this Sark business. I scowled at her and turned back to Alexei.

"We'll have specs, equipment, and a better plan tomorrow." He nodded in my direction, his eyes not leaving Sydney.

Irina looked at Alexei for a moment before motioning for him to follow her out of the kitchen. "Don't start with me right now." I didn't look at her. "I wasn't going to say a word. Thanks for the breakfast." She looked over at me and I chanced a glance out of the corner of my eye at her and she was fuming. "Thanks for this morning." That was it. "I apologize for that. Honestly, I didn't think you'd want Irina to see that. But next time I won't work so hard to preserve your dignity." She looked a bit deflated at that. _Good._ "I'm sorry, I…" I sighed and turned to her, offering her a small smile. "I hate it when you call me Sark. It feels like a dig at my affections for you." She chuckled then. "Affections?" I smirk at her. "Please don't pretend like you didn't know." And then all of a sudden, her whole demeanor changed. "We'll get him back, love." She nodded but I could tell she didn't really believe me.

I walked to her and wrapped my arms carefully around her. "I promised, remember?" She smiled up at me and I leaned down to place a chaste kiss on her lips. But that isn't possible where she is involved. All of my control goes out the window whenever I'm near her. The "chaste peck" turned into starting to finish what we started this morning before Irina interrupted us. She moaned and pushed into me. "Come on." I muttered into her lips. She nodded and with her lips still attached to mine we made our way upstairs to finish what we had started.

She was laying there wrapped up in my arms and I looked into her eyes and I realized something. "Sydney Anne Bristow, I…" But I was interrupted by the sounds of gunshots and Irina's voice screaming for me and Alexei. _Damn._


	19. The Best Laid Plans

**A/N: SORRY IT'S BEEN SO LONG SINCE I UPDATED, I RE-READ ALL OF THE CHAPTERS IN THE STORY AND I THINK I'M READY TO UPDATE NOW lol THIS CHAPTER IS IN SARK'S POV…**

_She was laying there wrapped up in my arms and I looked into her eyes and I realized something. "Sydney Anne Bristow, I…" But I was interrupted by the sounds of gunshots and Irina's voice screaming for me and Alexei. Damn._

We both sprang into action immediately. My heart was beating fast. What could he have been going to tell me? I shake my head, trying to get it to where it needs to be-downstairs. We dressed quickly and were armed before the next shots were fired. I was guessing they didn't know we were up here, that'd give us the element of surprise, but we couldn't exactly spring from behind the secret staircase. But he had other ideas. He motioned for me to follow him to the bookcase in the back of the closet I hadn't noticed before. Wordlessly, I follow him. When did I start letting him take the lead with no protest? Maybe it was about the time I fell…

Another quick shake of my head to try to derail that train. He stops abruptly and gives me a look. "Are you quite alright?" There was a hint of annoyance and condensation there in his voice which pissed me off. "Fine." His eyebrows furrowed like he couldn't understand why I was lashing out, which only succeeded in frustrating me more. "Can we just go?" He scoffed childishly and moved the bookcase aside. Immediately I noticed that this staircase was steeper than the one that led up to the room. I looked to him questioningly. "This leads to the level below where they are." He left it at that and started moving. I hated it when he did this on missions. He would come up with plans and not include me in on them and then we both almost died. All because he was too stubborn. Great.

There was something about walking in silence that bothered him obviously. "I wish you wouldn't be so snappy with me." I roll my eyes and I want to scream at him.

"I wish you wouldn't be so stubborn." He stops then in the middle of the stairwell.

"Me? The stubborn one?" He scoffs again and this time I can't help but hit him. He rubs the spot on his arm .

"You're the one being so childish." I tell him. He raises an eyebrow but I continue. "You won't even tell me the plan. You never do." I knew it sounded childish out loud, but at the moment I didn't care. "And it almost always almost gets us killed."

He turns towards me fully suddenly and almost upsets my balance on the stairs. His close proximity makes my heart race as his scent invades my mind. "Your safety is my up-most concern. Always. We're going to get out of this alive. We're going to get your father. And then we're going to take a _very _long vacation on some strange little island and spend days in bed." He smiled at me disarmingly, making me forget why I was angry to begin with and then he kissed me. "Let's do this." I tell him, returning his smile and we continue on our way.


	20. 20

Want to know what I've been up to lately? Trying my hand at something of my own. Want to check it out? Check out my profile on the sister site fiction

Here's the link to the new story: .com/s/2815187/1

Check out Webook, a new way to read and rate original ideas and keep a look out for mine! J

Keep R&Ring and more updates will be up soon!

Thanks!

~P.


	21. Like Alice

**Author's Note: Ah, the elusive update you've all been waiting for. Let's hope it meets expectations! :)**

**I do not own ALIAS or any of its characters, blah, blah, blah...**

**Moving on.,..**

_He turns towards me fully suddenly and almost upsets my balance on the stairs. His close proximity makes my heart race as his scent invades my mind. "Your safety is my up-most concern. Always. We're going to get out of this alive. We're going to get your father. And then we're going to take a very long vacation on some strange little island and spend days in bed." He smiled at me disarmingly, making me forget why I was angry to begin with and then he kissed me. _

_"Let's do this." I tell him, returning his smile and we continue on our way._

"He should have listened to me. He was followed and now..." I can feel Julian's irritation at the insinuation that we were all about to die because his brother couldn't follow simple protocol, but I know he won't say anything to combat the charge. He knows that I'm at least partially right.

"My dear, could you possibly focus?" I saw his whole demeanor change and I knew we were close to the fight. There were still shots being fired, but it didn't sound like as many. I didn't dare stop to wonder who's side had lost a gun. _A person,_ I mentally corrected myself. _A person, not just another weapon to help._ I have to force myself to remember that it's not just my family on the line here, that Julian called his brother in for the sole purpose of helping me. But something just wasn't adding up to me about Alexi. I tried to banish all doubts, if he was down there shooting, I wanted him on my side. _Our_ side. It's not just me anymore. The thought scared me more than the sounds of destruction.

My thoughts have distracted me too long and now we're at the bottom and Julian is poised to spring out in case anyone is down here so we can move upstairs to the fight.

He's counting...

Almost to three now...

The door is opening, light flooding in...

The room is empty and we start progressing towards the doorway to the staircase to the upper level...

The guns are still shooting like mad, I survey the room quickly as Julian shoots the man closest to us and then the one next to him. Alexi is gone and my mother is crouched behind the counter, firing off shots without really looking to see where they're going. I think I call her name but I can't tell if my mouth is really moving. I feel like Alice in the rabbit hole. That's when I realize I'm hit. I squeeze off a few rounds taking out one, two, then the third man to my right while Julian works on the two to our left. And then there is no one left, my mother is running towards me, I'm falling... And there are Julian's arms. Like always.

And as I fall deeper into the hole I wonder when I fell in love with my worst enemy.

**A/N: Sorry it's so short. I want to put a lot of work into the next chapter and with a six week maternity leave, hopefully I'll have some time to do just that :) **

**If you read any of my other stories, I'm working on updates for them too and thinking of maybe starting a new one or two in a different genre. Now wouldn't that be fun :D**

**R&R you know the love is appreciated! **


	22. Moving

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**I love you guys! I've started a new Sarkney but I HAVE to update this! I was re-reading it and even I was like _what? It's over? Just like that? _So here's an update! ****J**

_My thoughts have distracted me too long and now we're at the bottom and Julian is poised to spring out in case anyone is down here so we can move upstairs to the fight._

_He's counting..._

_Almost to three now..._

_The door is opening, light flooding in..._

_The room is empty and we start progressing towards the doorway to the staircase to the upper level..._

_The guns are still shooting like mad, I survey the room quickly as Julian shoots the man closest to us and then the one next to him. Alexi is gone and my mother is crouched behind the counter, firing off shots without really looking to see where they're going. I think I call her name but I can't tell if my mouth is really moving. I feel like Alice in the rabbit hole. That's when I realize I'm hit. I squeeze off a few rounds taking out one, two, then the third man to my right while Julian works on the two to our left. And then there is no one left, my mother is running towards me, I'm falling... And there are Julian's arms. Like always._

Despite everything, I wonder how this could have happened, if it might really be entirely my fault. I crouch next to the bedside and I take the slender fingers between mine.

"Please." I whisper, begging. "Please just wake up." There was nothing else I can do. That's right, the late great Mr. Sark begging this radiant young thing lying motionless in the bed to just open those large hazel eyes. I feel her presence behind me.

"Still nothing." Her voice is tired and worn. Three months of looking for Jack and there was nothing. No sign of him, my _family_, or Alexi. Alexi, that bastard. And then it hit me, the idea that Irina had originally proposed.

"We're going to Klemovo." The small city outside Moscow was not nearly far enough to hide from me. She simply nodded. This was the last resort, the last card to play in our hand and both of us wanted to keep our Ace close to our heart. I kissed the slender fingers now woven with mine and sighed. I couldn't stand to leave.

"Be ready tomorrow at 0600." She was not accustomed to taking orders from me, but she simply exited the room, leaving me with her. Sighing again I dialed a number and left instructions on the automated machine.

We had moved to a more secure location, putting feelers out in case Jack happened to escape, while also putting some distance between us and our known location. I did not blame Irina. She had not known about the other staircase, she hadn't expected back up to come from that area, had shot blindly. I blamed only myself. I traced the lines of her palm, I knew them by heart. I had stayed vigilant by her side every waking moment, often sleeping there next to her.

The phone buzzing broke my reviver of thoughts and I accepted the download of the Intel.

"We're moving." Irina had come out of nowhere and I simply nodded.

Once Irina had left again, I kissed her one last time and moved away from her. Why did it feel so… so final?

There would never be an end to Sydney and Julian.

And then with a final ominous click of the heavy wooden door, Sydney's eyes begin to flutter.

**A/N: Now doesn't that just SUCK? lol Sorry it's so short, just a filler chapter til I can finish the next update! ****J**** I love you guys! ****J**


	23. Just Saying Thanks

So... I just wanted to insert this little note to tell you how much I LOVE you guys! Y'all are awesome! And to thank you for continuously following this story! There are a couple of you out there who have been out there since the beginning and I can't wait to get these updates I'm working on out to all of you! I can't wait to hear more from you guys! And I'm in search of a Beta, any volunteers? :) Updates (and a NEW Sarkeny from yours truly!) will be up VERY soon! :) Stay cool guys Much Love, ~p. 


	24. Twists and Turns

**A/N: Rereading this story, there are so many thoughts bouncing around and I can't wait to get them flowing again! For those of you who have stuck this absence out, thank you sincerely from my heart. The next two chapters are up now, dears. Review to let me know what you think! **

Syndey's eyes began to flutter.

Foggy eyes surveyed a foreign room. She was hooked up to IV's which proved to just be fluids and nutrients. Trained ears listened for any sound of presence around her only to be met with none. Stiff joints protested as she began to push herself up on her elbows. Dry mouth desperately trying to coat itself with her sudden need to cry out. Groaning, she fell back. Irritated with herself she tried again, pushing with her core to add support. Slippery, hazy memories begin to bombard her tired mind, with only one coming through clearly- Julian.

Sitting fully now, she took a closer look at the room. Pictures of Weiss and her mother and father littered shelves. Her eyes skimmed over them all until her eyes snapped back to one in particular. There was a picture of her and Will, laughing, their youth evident and personified to the lens.

Feeling the familiar tug at her heart she looked away only to feel a new one when she saw on of Sark's sleeping form lying next to hers in this very bed, dated two months to what she believed was prior if the calendar on the wall was any indication. She stood carefully, the ache something familiar to help keep her worries at bay. She moved stiffly around the room until she reached the door.

Range of motion was beginning to be taken over my muscle memory and movement became a bit easier as she reached a common room of a compound she couldn't remember. _Not again. _A surge of adrenaline hit her as she saw a phone lying there on the counter, dialing the only number that came to mind.

"It's me, I think I'm in trouble."

40 minutes later she was on a flight to LA without looking back.

As soon as she landed she saw him standing there, relief flooding his face and voice as he called her name. As this was still registering she was wrapped into his embrace.

"I'd like to go home now." He nodded and gave her a kind smile.

"I already told them your report could wait until tomorrow." He put his arm gently around her and led her towards the exit, towards home.

**Back in Moscow**

"How can every source I have be so damn useless?" He threw his heavy bag onto the floor, slamming the door behind him. Irina kept quiet. She'd learned long ago that once his rage took over it was best to let his emotions flow, it kept him collected in the field. He poured himself a scotch and stomped back to the back bedroom. She heard shattering glass and Sark letting out a string of curses that sounded almost like a prayer and she just knew they'd lost her. She sprinted back to him to see him on the floor, silent tears tearing down his pale face, and Sydney lost in a different way.


End file.
